When I was in college, I posted a poem by Emily Dickenson up on my bulletin board. It was one of my favorites, and to this day I have it memorized. The name of the poem is “They Might Not Need Me — Yet They Might” and the last line, which I found so influential even at 16 is, “a smile as small as mine might be precisely their necessity.” We serve others, not just through larger actions but with something as small as a smile.
When faced with trials we make choices. One of the choices we can make is to smile. When someone smiles, they feel less stressed. Smiling sends a message to the world. A smiling person is a happy person, a person at peace, a person with joy. When there is no joy to be seen in our immediate situation, we relay through our smile that our joy is found in the Lord.
As Christians, we are often reminded to find the joy in all our circumstances; however, our task is not just to experience joy, but to broadcast joy. By broadcasting the joy we find in knowing God’s presence in our life, we are serving God. We are showing the world that, no matter our circumstances, God is great.
The next time you feel a bit down or overwhelmed, find something to smile about. Share that smile with others and watch them smile back. Even if they look at you funny instead, they will think about that smile. It’s a small way we can meet great necessities.
God, thank you for everything you have provided in my life. Please help me to show the world your greatness by broadcasting that greatness through my joy, my smile. Help me to remember that even in trying times, you have done great things and continue to do great things. Amen.
Go Deeper — Smile today! See how it changes your mindset and an interaction.
Read Further — Here are steps to take to actually rejoice in all circumstances so others can see you genuinely smile.
Photo Credit: Priscilla Dupreez