The Bucket List - Pt 4

A man of crooked heart does not discover good, and one with a dishonest tongue falls into calamity. He who sires a fool gets himself sorrow, and the father of a fool has no joy. A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. (Proverbs 17:20-22 ESV).

The first question you may ask at the viewing of this meme is “Really?” However, when we understand the impact of the wisdom in our reading today, it does make perfect sense. Another one of the things to do on my bucket list is to reassert myself as a person of good humor and frequent laughter. All of us who are a bit older know how difficult that task might be. Even though I'm personally blessed with an active positive attitude, it does become more difficult when I get older. So, there are those times when I need a little silliness to help a bit. You know as well as I that there are way too many serious people in our culture. There are plenty of times to be serious, though I think we would all do well to find the time to loosen up a bit. We need more laughter and spontaneous smiles. Just imagine what would happen if you went to your local Petsmart or pet store and got a bag of bird seed. As you are checking out, ask the clerk how long it will take to grow a bird after you plant them. The folks who really need a little “medicine” will either look at you as if you are crazy, or say something disparaging. That’s when you can flash them a huge smile and quote Solomon’s wisdom: “A joyful heart is good medicine.” Tell them that Jesus really does have their best in mind in all things and wish them a great day. This is about two things: the sounds of joy coming from your mouth - words, laughter, positive words - and the appearance of your countenance, your facial expressions. If you get a Bible dictionary and look up "countenance" you may be surprised to see the connection of this principle and the grace of God in Jesus. It shouldn’t be surprising that the Apostle Paul consistently reassures his readers with the truth that it is all going to be “good” in the hands of our God (cf. Romans 8:28). I need to be consistent in helping folks to believe that by both my actions and my words. So, join me today in making this conscious effort to force a smile onto your face and greet everyone with that kind of joy that infects them with the presence of God. Some will be so shocked they'll want to know what happened. Just tell them it's on your bucket list.