COMPLETE JOY
Prayer: Oh Lord! I want to be close to You this December and have and share Your great joy!
Scripture: I have told you this so that My joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. John 15:11-12 NIV
While sitting in church waiting for the service to start, I watched this little girl, probably about four years old, dance her way up the aisle with what appeared to be some type of “princess” wand with beading and white feathers and ribbons flowing from it. She skipped and twirled with this beautiful smile on her face. Her father was following just close enough behind her to enjoy her dance and guide her to where they needed to go. Every few rows of seats, she would wave to someone or do a special dance step for them to make them smile.
One particular man must have been distracted or had an exceptionally hard day because he did not smile back at her or wave when she reached his row. The procession stopped as she waved and did a little bounce in front of him – still no smile. For one moment she wrinkled her brow in confusion then smiled even cuter as she flitted on her toes waving her arms in a circle in front of him. Everyone who could see her was smiling except this one gentleman. Her father tried to scoot her on up the aisle but she made a turn and ran around him back to the man, skipped up to him, laid her magic wand on him and said something that I could not hear but made the man laugh until he cried. As a matter of fact, that man smiled all the way through the service, long after the little girl danced off to the nursery.
Of course I was scribbling these events down in my bulletin as fast as I could, thinking “There’s a devotional in that!” I love these moments, when God shows me His heart and lessons through everyday life. The little girl exhibited how we should proceed down the isle of life with joy and excitement along the way and staying close enough to our Heavenly Father that He enjoys our joy and can guide us. This could be the whole lesson for me. There are many days in my life when I am focused on the “destination” of getting somewhere or getting something done, that I forget to enjoy the journey. I do not mean that I should playfully wander or “dottle” as my grandmother use to say, but we should keep our eyes open to the joys, the people, the beauty, the opportunities, and blessings along the way. I wonder what the expression on my face looks like as I am walking the halls, driving to my next appointment, waiting in line, etc. Instead of stressing about what’s next, ponder God’s goodness and love for you right now. Take a deep breath and consider our destination of heaven for a moment and smile.
Secondly, she wanted to share her joy with everyone, even one who did not initially want it. It is easy to share our smile, cooperation, resources, care and compassion with those who are like us and are easy to get along with, but what about the ones who are not like us? Do we tend to just stay out of their way and avoid them or do we go the extra mile to make them smile? Are we determined like this little girl to not give up until our joy in the Lord is shared with every one He put in our path, or are nine out of ten people sufficient? The Bible says that the shepherd would leave the ninety-nine safe sheep to go and find the one lost sheep and bring it back to safety. Then He would call on others to rejoice because He had found the one that was lost. What about us? Is it easier to just let the one, hard to get along with, never happy about anything, person go on without effort from us to love them? Can we really throw up our arms and walk away saying, “They will never change?” Of course not. God never gave up on us, and that is where the “magic wand” comes in. No, I do not believe in magic, but I do believe in prayer. I do not know what that little girl said but it could have been something like, “Ab-ra –ca-dab-bra, make him smile.” With a child’s faith, she spoke a blessing over him. He heard the child speak something positive over his life. No matter what it was that had made him so cold or grumpy, it was dissolved by some kind words by a persevering child who wanted to share her joy with EVERYONE!
I know that you have many, many responsibilities and stresses in your life, but friend, you are a redeemed soul with a loving Father who has everything under control and is close enough to guide you to wherever He is taking you. My prayer for you is that you would experience and share joy, in all and with all. Joy to the World, the Lord is come!
Copyright Kathy Branzell. Email [email protected]