Day 55: Jesus Smiles

“When he has found it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders, and coming home, he calls his friends and neighbors together, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my lost sheep!’ I tell you, in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who don’t need repentance.” LUKE 15:5–7, EMPHASIS MINE

“I have told you these things so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.” JOHN 15:11, EMPHASIS MINE

MY PRECIOUS MOM, PATTI Angel (yes, that really is her last name!), who introduced me to Jesus, is eighty-five years young and is a wonderful example of the ever-increasing joy and liberty that should define Christ-followers. She comes up to Tennessee from Florida several months out of the year to spend time with us, and during one of her recent winter visits we had a blast playing games by the fire, staying up late telling stories, and schlepping through the early January snow that blanketed our five-acre “farmette.” Mom even good-naturedly wedged her wee self on a sled with my nephew, John Michael, and belly laughed with glee while barreling down a steep slope on the backside of our property!

I don’t have many childhood memories that include that kind of liberated happiness with Mom. Because she’d been taught by several spiritual leaders that being a “good Christian” was more about what you couldn’t do than what you could. And undomesticated delight was on the naughty list. Before I learned how to read, I’d learned to regard that big, black, leather-bound King James edition—which stood on the most prominent shelf in our living room—as a supremely sober book. And while it indeed holds parts that sober us up about certain things, it took a long time to unlearn my initial wariness about the overall love story we call the Bible and to see Jesus (the undisputed Hero of this oh-so-important book) as a smiling Savior, not some sour-faced kind of chaperon trying to suck all the fun out of life.

When I was Missy’s age, I admired how my mother carried herself with polished poise and often thought: I hope one day I’ll be as beautiful as her. I had a similar thought recently while watching Mom and Missy with their heads bent together, giggling conspiratorially about something they thought was especially funny. Now when I watch Mom, I find myself hoping to one day have a heart that’s as beautifully bent toward God and others as hers. Because the decades of following God—even when she unwittingly stumbled down paths He hadn’t paved—have weathered her soul into the gorgeous patina of a joyful woman who can laugh at the days to come (Prov. 31:25).

While there’s no single verse proving that our Savior smiled or laughed during His earthly life and ministry, there are a plethora of passages that imply His good humor, like the times He cracked jokes. Or consider Genesis 1:26–27, which reveals that humans are made in God’s image, and since most of us love to laugh, He probably does too! Furthermore, many of the stories Jesus told contain a light-hearted literary wink, such as when He used intentional hyperbole like: having “a log in your eye while noticing a neighbor’s splinter” (Matt. 7:3–5), or “a giant mammal of a camel attempting to squeeze through the minuscule eye of a needle” (Matt. 19:24). In addition, Jesus promised that mirth would follow mourning in the Beatitudes: “God blesses you who weep now, for in due time you will laugh” (Luke 6:21b nlt, emphasis mine).

And let’s take a moment to consider how the Pharisees accused Jesus of being a frivolous friend and partier: “The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’” (Luke 7:34), which certainly wouldn’t have crossed their lips if they’d only seen His somber side, right? Finally, Jesus shirked off the formality of a first-century rabbi and bear-hugged kids—likely sticky from eating candy and clamoring for His attention like puppies:

One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him.

When Jesus saw what was happening, he was angry with his disciples. He said to them, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” Then he took the children in his arms and placed his hands on their heads and blessed them. (Mark 10:13–16 nlt)

Children aren’t drawn to unsmiling grumps and, come to think of it, most adults aren’t either. Therefore, if we want to reflect some measure of the grace God has lavished upon us, let’s all agree to smile more often and regard belly laughs as short bursts of praise for our Savior’s glory!

• READ PSALM 40:16. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being not at all and 10 being right on the button, how well does this verse describe you?
• READ NUMBERS 6:24–26 (NLT), Proverbs 16:15 (nlt), and Psalm 80 (cev). Are you more comfortable picturing our Creator-Redeemer with a smiling countenance or a serious countenance? Why do you think that is?
• READ MATTHEW 3:17. How would you paraphrase God’s response after Johnny B baptized Jesus?