December 16,1996
Dear Br. Akers:
When people look at us, how do they know that we are Christians? Or do they know whom we profess to love? To be a Christian is to love the Lord, to appreciate His sacrifice for us on the cross and His gift of life, health, and prosperity, not to mention a thousand other blessings. What ought to be our response? We should at least be thankful to Him for His boundless gifts. The best way to appreciate His goodness is to act like a Christian, so, when others see us, they may quickly discern our love for the Lord, through our actions and pure speech.
There are many ways of expressing our true allegiance but, perhaps,
one of the best is through our cheerful attitude and demeanor.
I don’t mean that we always go about laughing and in high
spirits. If we did others would conclude that either we were drunk
or on drugs or were slightly nuts. NO! What I mean is to have
a genuinely quiet cheerfulness about us all the time especially
when circumstances would suggest that cheerfulness would be inappropriate
to those who do not know the Lord.
If we love the Lord because of His love for us then our countenances
and body language demonstrate our confidence in Him and His love
to such an extent that others take note that we are Christians.
Everybody, or at least those who are not perennially sour of disposition,
likes cheerful people, those folks who radiate a happy disposition,
a delightful countenance, a buoyant, uplifted spirit. Some people
posses these qualities naturally, others, such as myself, must
work at them daily, hourly, and even moment by moment. I am not
naturally buoyant or cheerful especially when I have eaten too
much food and my stomach is sour then my disposition tends to
take on the same condition as my stomach, and, to be happy, requires
some sanctified effort and confession to the Lord for overeating.
Just as it is a sin to overeat so it is a sin to maintain a dour
expression when we affirm that we are Christians. We, of all people,
should be the happiest and most contented people alive for we
are waiting for the coming of the Lord which is not long delayed.
I wonder if men don’t have a harder time expressing properly
balanced feelings then women. We seem to be reluctant to express
ourselves except through rage, anger, and violence which we do
quite well. But when the situation calls for tenderness, compassion,
mercy, joy, peace, quietness, harmony, or a settled calmness,
we have trouble expressing ourselves in a proper fashion. Perhaps
you don’t have difficulty with a balanced and controlled
joy or happiness but if you are like most men you and I must constantly
work at being cheerful.
Our wives and children look to us for emotional strength and guidance.
We possess the sanctified abilities to make our homes cheerful,
relaxing, and refreshing places not only for our families but
for the angles who are ceaselessly in search of souls to save.
Our homes should be safe havens from the turmoil of the world.
It is largely up to us to set the emotional tone of the home.
When we return from our work or from whatever we may be about,
we should pause, outside of the door, and take a quick mental
inventory of our emotional state and examine ourselves critically
to ensure that our emotional health is uplifting, cheerful, buoyant,
and relaxed. If it is not then we must not enter the house until
we have offered a heart felt prayer for divine aid in assuming
the proper emotional balance, so that, as we enter the house the
atmosphere we carry with us is such as to encourage others in
the home to model their emotions after ours.
If we desire a bitter and contentions home, then let us enter
our dwelling in a bitter and contentious spirit and our wishes
will quickly be granted. If, on the other hand, we desire a happy,
cheerful home, then let us enter our domicile with a vibrant spirit
and our desires will also be quickly granted.
Just as the cities are polluted with noxious smells and odors
so our emotions often poison our homes with equally noxious odors.
Let us, as men, and heads of our homes begin now to install some
air purification equipment in our emotional generating plants
so that the exhausts will not poison our homes but fill them with
sweet sunshine and clean, fresh air.
Christ is the master air purification specialist and will aid
us in our efforts to bring His grace into our homes. What a sweet
place home could be if we endeavor first to make our hearts a
sweet dwelling place for the Holy Spirit. This is our responsibility
not primarily the responsibilities of our wives or children. While
they have a role to play in controlling the emotional atmosphere
of the home, we can blame no one but ourselves if the sweet presence
of Jesus is an unwelcome guest in either our hearts or homes.
May the Lord bless you with emotional confidence and the ability
to smile from the soul and not just the lips. Your brother in
Christ.
Allen A. Benson