«All the days of the afflicted are evil, but he who is of a merry heart has a continual feast” (Proverbs 15: 15).
OXYMORONS ARE SO INTERESTING. They basically combine two contradictory terms to produce a new term: bittersweet, a deafening silence, a tense calm, an eternal moment.
Here’s one more example: a sad Christian. Isn’t that a contradiction of terms? I’m not referring to the fact that we can sometimes be sad. Rather, I mean that the Christian is not expected to go through existence while looking only at the negative and sad side of life. Ellen G. White expresses this reality well when she writes that «Christians should be the most cheerful and happy people that live. They may have the consciousness that God is their Father and their everlasting friend. «—Messages to Young People, ch. 124, p. 363.
That’s right! Can a person who has God as their Father and Christ as their Friend and Savior live under a dark cloud? Absolutely not! Why then do we spread so much sadness around us? Why do we so often look at the negative side of things and com-plain about everything and anything? Couldn’t we, for example, look more often on the bright side of things, laugh a little more, and spread more joy around us?
This reminds me of a story Allen Klein told about a man who always complained about everything. When his wife brought him orange juice, he would say he wanted grape juice. When she would serve him bread with butter, he would want bread with jam. When she served him fried eggs, he wanted them boiled.
Klein says that tired of her husband’s attitude, one day the wife had a brilliant idea: she decided to fry one egg and boil the other. This way, the man would have nothing to complain about. She served him the eggs, and waited. The man looked at the plate for a few seconds, and then growled, “Woman, you fried the wrong egg!”
The point is clear: Why always look at the negative side of things?
“For the despondent, every day brings trouble; for the happy heart, life is a continual feast” (Proverbs 15: l5, NLT). How can we enjoy this feast God offers us on this new day? First, let us remember that in heaven there is a Father who loves us more than we can ever imagine. Second, let us show the world all the good that can happen when Christ the Lord dwells in our heart.
So, if you’re sad, cheer up! And if you’re happy; be sure to spread that joy around you. That’s Christianity too!
Dear God, thank You for being my heavenly Father;
and thank You because in Christ, I have found a wonderful Friend and Savior.
#AdultsDevotional
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Taken from: Devotional Readings for Adults 2022
“GREAT IS OUR GOD!”
From: FERNANDO ZABALA
Colaboradores: Xiomara Perdomo & Angelica Cuate
