Smiling At The Future

Strength and dignity are her clothing,

and she smiles at the future.

Proverbs 31:25 (NASV)

Our Southern Baptist ladies magazine “Journey” for February has an article in it with a verse that really stirred my spirit. That verse is from Proverbs 31. Had never noticed this verse before and was so grateful it being drawn to my attention because it reminded me of some wonderful people who have meant much to me. It will probably remind you of some special people as well.

I was reminded of my sister Kay. In her church, she always sang in the choir and was known for being the alto with the smile. I've never seen anyone in a church choir who smiled like she did. She called me that she was seriously ill, I went to the hospital in southern Illinois to see her. I was greeted with her smile. I saw nurses come and go and they all got a wonderful smile from her. I believe Kay knew she was dying upon the time of my first arrival. She did step into Heaven within a couple of months. I was with her as were her daughters on the last Sunday morning she attended her church. She couldn't sing in the choir but was with her when she took her choir folder into the choir room and gave it to the minister of music. He gave her a big hug...both were teary, tears that worked their way around Kay's smile. It was her last church service in a church she had served in and loved. She sat with that smile absorbing every moment. I believe Kay was smiling at the future.

I have a little granddaughter, Madelyn who is a smiler. She wakes up in the morning with a huge smile and has since she was old enough to know how to smile. She goes to bed at night with a smile. During the day, her smile is more than frequent. She doesn't know all of the cares of this world like you and I might know but she can smile in the most insignificance of things, be it a beautiful flower or making a little snowman with me while in the mountains. Her smile is no accident. She has a smiling mother who herself has known adversity in various situations, especially with health concerns. Madelyn has a mother who always smiles at her. That infectious smile has become more a part of that little girls life than she will ever know...her smile is a reflection of her mom's smile.

If I may say so, I'm jealous of ladies with beautiful smiles. I didn't grow up with a smile. I chipped a tooth next to a center front tooth and that chip turned black that seemed immediate. My mom used to tell me to not smile very big or that tooth would show. That's when I was about five years old. For many reasons as I grew, I didn't smile very much and am so sorry I didn't know how to overcome those reasons in order to develop a smile. I continue to work on it, reminding myself at times to smile because with Jesus Christ in my life.

I have stood at the bedside of many very sick ladies, ladies with cancer who were in their last days of that horrible disease. They radiated God's glory with the brightest of smiles even though it would seem they had so little strength with which to smile. I have been at funeral homes more times than I care to think about and have watched ladies in the depths of grief who had lost a husband, but were so steeped in the things of God, that they couldn't help but greet friends and family with a smile...a smile that looks to the future where Heaven will be a sweeter place because of their present loss. I remember a family whose house burned and they were left with a horrible mess. That dear wife and mom told me with a smile through her tears how God would provide for their family. She refused to take her eyes off of the Lord. He did provide and that family's faith was strengthened in a wonderful way. I recall a friend of mine who was in a horrible car accident. We didn't know at first if she would make it or how she would make it. She fought for every inch of improvement in her condition. I told her she had to get well because I was going to be moving and she was my pick to teach my Sunday school class. No matter who visited her through those weeks of rehab and healing, she greeted every visitor with what I would call a “smile of faith” for she truly smiled at the future.

We can always smile at the future when things are going well. It's in the difficult days that we might not feel very “smiley.” Our smile mustn't be dependent on the circumstances of life or the seasons thereof. Our smile isn't to be inappropriate, pasted on our faces or appears when someone smiles at us. However, people cannot be judged by their smiles or lack thereof, but they are certainly a blessing and encouragement to others. Different personalities respond in different ways to different situations. Let's determine to allow the glow from God radiate from us through smiles or pleasant looks. Let's determine to smile at the future, no matter what it holds and greet it's coming as God brings it to us however He deems best.

Dear Father...You've given me every reason to smile on the outside and inside of my life. Thank you for Your every benefit in my life. Help me to be more of a smiler as I look to the future...smiling with a confidence that comes only from You. In Jesus name...Amen