Christians should smile more... shouldn't they?

I had a blindingly good idea for a blog the other day... well about 2 weeks ago in fact, so the idea has faded somewhat so excuse me if I don't paint as vivid a picture as was scorching through my mind at the time.

Following a link sent to me by 'The Wap' I saw/listened to this cover of Massive Attack's song 'Teardrop' by a chap called Newton Faulkner. I'm not a big fan of the original, but am a sucker for a good voice and a guitar... it is neat, simple and unflowery. A bit like me... minus the neat.

Anyway I liked the cover and had a quick itunes browse for some of his other stuff and eventually just downloaded a whole album. One song on the album is entitled 'People should smile more'.

As I drove along tippy tapping the steering wheel and singing out of tune I pondered exactly this. I'm justified, saved by grace, loved and cherished by an all sufficient, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, eternal, sovreign, almighty God. His son died in my place and I have been granted by undeserved merit all the treasures that heaven and eternal life offer me. What's not to beam about?

The following Sunday the preacher (sorry the exact sermon is lost in the fog of my memory now!) spoke about the fact that as the wretched men we are, sinners of the darkest hue, we have no moral right to be happy.

Boom!

That dropped my 'smiling' on its head and stole its pocket money alright. Fortunately the point of the sermon was hardly to shoot my happiness down in flames, but rather to highlight the pervasive attitude that Christians should walk around with 'Colgate' grins and a chirpy countenence 24/7. This clearly is not true.

Faithful Christians should, in their self reflection often come to an stark awareness of the depth and depravity of their own sin... and of that around them. They should mourn this, grieve for their sinful mind, heart, lusts, actions and words -

"Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted." (Matthew 5:4 KJV)

But does this mean we cannot smile as Christians? Of course not. In fact the ironic thing is that our smiles should spread broader when we consider why we are smiling in the first place. We are saved from our sins. Those sins that grieve and hurt us, that black cloud of rebellion and hurt that plagued us as unregenerate people... they're gone!

So in those dark moments of distress, when we are at our lowest ebb, surely nothing should lift us more than the realisation that all that troubles us, all that hinders and pains us is paid for.

The debt is paid!

The curse lifted!

Our chains are fallen off, our hearts set free!

Surely in that black, dark dungeon His quickening ray should make our personal dungeon of sin flame with light... and dare I say it?

Smile.

Smile and let Him comfort you. Smile with tears in your eyes. Smile with utter relief. Smile at the thought of a love that can never be broken and never waivers.

So yes... Christians should smile more.