Do you smile much? Are you quick and generous in your smiling or are you a bit more cautious and reserved? I hope you are a smiling person because there is incredible significance and power wrapped up in a human smile.
In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word for smile means to cause to burst, to be bright, to look present, or to spread. Additionally, Hebrew dictionaries use the simile of a sunrise when conveying the idea of a smile. Like a dawning sunrise that gloriously spreads, sending light, beauty, and hope into a newborn day, so our smiling can brighten the world around us.
Smiling is such an interesting concept, and it is amazing how the simple lifting of the corners of a face can communicate happiness, warmth, confidence, or love.
John Maxwell, motivational speaker/teacher, humorously says that as a young man, he once looked in the mirror and thought, “John, you are not a handsome dude.” Then he smiled and thought, “That’s better.” Then in his own clever words he said that he has been smiling ever since.
St. Francis of Assisi said that, “It is not fitting when one is in the Lord’s service to have a gloomy face or a chilling look.” We need to smile more. God’s radiance can shine through the simple smile on a human face. Let’s smile and be conveyors of that much-needed radiance.
“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1)
Note: Jessica loves this picture of me from the old age face app. She thinks my smile looks kind. 🙂
Good reminder! Love you guys!
Thanks for this. I always thought I smile too much and friends have commented that I should smile less or others may get the wrong impression. But I guess it is my habit or nature to react with a smile when making eye contact with others and when my imagination goes wild.
P.S. I thought that was a picture of your dad…LOL!
Nope, you have a great smile. Keep it up! 🙂
When I was a young believer it seem to me that the more mature believers were so solemn. I thought that maybe I was missing the point of Christianity. Then through God’s grace I realized that if salvation and strength in the Lord didn’t make these people smile nothing could.
Hi Alan, yes, I had that same experience. Some of the most “spiritual” people were also the most serious. I don’t think that his how it should be. By the way, I love your sense of humor! 🙂
When I was a young believer it seem to me that the more mature believers were so solemn. I thought that maybe I was missing the point of Christianity. Then through God’s grace I realized that if salvation and strength in the Lord didn’t make these people smile nothing could.
The vibrance of a smile has was a submission to truth for me. I had to see myself in photos, candid and unprompted/unfiltered to see how alive I appeared when smiling. When you’re naturally pensive, bruhs like me can tend to come off distant. My students all liked me early on when I was a substitute teacher years ago. But when I wasn’t smiling, kids feared me and said, “Mr. Coulter you’re like…really passionate and when you get mad we don’t know wha to say.” Man, like killing an ant with a machine gun is how I felt. Smiles have become more of my modus operandi. Thanks Chris! I resonate.
Hi Norman, yes, I so agree! That has been my experience too!