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Joy is as different from happiness
as oatmeal is different from
corn flakes. Happiness can last
a week, a day, or thirty seconds,
depending on whether you have
enough money, security, and
toys. Joy, however, is a way of
life, a frame of mind that casts
every event of life in the context
of God’s rule in the world. It’s a
philosophy that views the world
as a way station where laughter
and sorrow combine during our
pilgrimage to an eternity with
God.
© Alex Bramwell—Dreamstime.com
Unwrapping
the Gift
What the Man of Sorrows teaches
us about joy. by Wayne Bartelt
It’s pretty humdrum, isn’t it,
that life of yours. You get up
in the morning, go to work,
come home, eat supper, watch
television, and go to bed so you
can get up and do it all over
again. No one cares about you.
Your spouse hasn’t sent a compliment
your way in . . . you don’t
know how long. She only notices
you when you forget to take out
the garbage, ignore a birthday or
anniversary, or get thick around
the middle.
And this religion business is
another thing. You’re supposed
to be happy about going to
church, pleasing God, and doing
the right thing. The joy of being
a child of God isn’t inspiring you.
Life shouldn’t be so . . . humdrum.
Like many people, you may
be confusing joy and happiness.
Jesus and joy
Where do we get such ideas
about joy?
From Jesus. He was born into
joy. When the angel announced
His birth to the shepherds, he
didn’t just say, “I’ve got good
news for you.” He said, “I bring
you good news of great joy that
will be for all the people” (Luke
2:10).
That abundance of joy is reflected
in Jesus’ personality. With
subtlety and humor, He turns
serious subjects into memorable
pictures. The difficulty of a rich
man entering the kingdom of
God. Camels on their knees
trying to crawl through a human-sized
gate. A two-by-four
splinter in a person’s eye. Can’t
you imagine a hearty laugh from
Jesus seeing that short fellow
perched in a sycamore tree, waiting
for Him to pass? “You don’t
have to stay in that tree, Zachaeus.
I’m coming to dinner at your
house today.” Go ahead: Laugh!
No one can mistake Jesus’ joy
of living and doing. He can hardly
wait to get on the road again
to meet the crowd in the next
town. Sick people to heal. Blind
ones to receive sight. Demons to
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