“Most people are bothered by those passages of Scripture they do not understand, but the passages that bother me are those I do understand.” — Mark Twain
The Look of Joy
Always be full of joy in the. I say it again—rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do (Philippians 4:4-5 NLT).
Last Wednesday, Barbara and I were co-teaching the book of James to a small group. After spending an hour talking about the book, we barely finished James 1:2, which tells us to consider it an opportunity for great joy when troubles come our way. Doesn’t that sound easy and fun?
While Barbara led the group discussion around the question, “What does joy look like?” I meandered over to Philippians 4. I knew it had some good stuff to say about joy, so I found the above passage I wanted and read it to the group. And as soon as I did, I knew it was going to bother me.
Although Paul wrote to the Philippians from prison, he still finds a way to be joyful. I didn’t say he was enjoying his stay in prison, but that he chose joy as his attitude. So far, so good. Paul is a better man than I am, but that is not what struck me. What struck me is what I call “The Look of Joy.” We’ll often ask what love looks like, and there is even a song called, “The Look of Love.” But what about joy? Barbara asked, “What does joy look like?” According to Philippians 4:5, joy looks like “consideration.”
That is when I got bothered. I knew from experience that, when I’m in a good mood and everything is right in the world, I show copious amounts of consideration. I tip the waitress more than she deserves, give more money to the needy and smile for no sane reason. However, when I am not joyful – when I am hurt, angry, disappointed or preoccupied with my own problems, I am not very considerate to others. In other words, I’m joyful and considerate when I feel like it and not joyful when I don’t want to be. If there is a trial, I’m not joyful and considerate and if the trials are minimal, I’m a nice guy.
What an awful way to live like a Christian.
In order to ease my troubled mind, I started to do a word study to see what “consideration” really means in the Greek. I find I do that on the occasions when the Word hits too close to home. I’ll look for ways the translators may have missed a word to justify my own bad attitude. You see, I didn’t always want to be considerate, and I certainly didn’t want my ability to be considerate to people linked with joy, a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). But the more I studied, the more I dug a hole.
It seems that no one word really conveys the idea of “consideration”, or epiekēs in the Greek. Some words come close, like gentle, kind, fair, reasonable, lenient and mild. Furthermore, this word indicates a willingness to yield to another person’s rights while we are gentle and considerate.
See why this bothers me? It is easy to show this consideration to nice people when I’m in just the right mood, but Paul tells us to show this attitude to everyone – Christian friends, difficult family members, ornery co-workers, people we admire and yes, even those church people who “just get on my nerves.”
In the end, I think I answered my wife’s question, “What does joy look like?” Joy looks like a person who is considerate, gentle, kind and fair to everyone, even in the midst of trials, tribulations or a prison cell. I know that my joy doesn’t always show in everything I do, but God still loves me and seems to be helping me work on it every chance He gets. And for that, I choose to be joyful.
Thinking Out Loud 
You know, I can hang with that. I have always resented equating joy with happiness – I think the two can be similar but not related. But true joy is expressed in our ability to focus on the needs of those around us and not on ourselves.
I know that in those isolated times that I have risen above my own situation and truly participated in someone else’s need, I have found joy.
Tough, thorny, but true!!
i dont know. i think joy is also a gift. something that we cant re-create or read books about…or even read scripture to “feel” joyous, or “be” joyous. i dont believe that paul actually created joy by being considerate, but that the Lord actually gave it to him in the midst of his persecution.
i think why christianity bothers me so much is because we think there is a formula to be a certain way. when in reality, even in our sins, love, joy, peace, honor, and understanding grace is something that cant be manufactured by reading books, scripture, going to seminars, or even church. its just simply…a gift. like grace…salvation, etc. its a gift from the Almighty Himself. Praise Him.
Yikes! Talk about a bothersome scripture. This was one of those that has always been difficult for me to wrap my mind around. I remember Dad doing a sermon when I was a teen about the difference between Joy and Happiness. He basically said that happiness is something fleeting and something we create, but Joy is something that only the Holy Spirit can give us. It is real and will help us get through those times that we “can’t” feel happy about. What is left is a deep, satisfying “joy” that we know Christ is in control and that joy is because we “know” we will get through it. Hmmm. That does seem to happen. In these last 3 weeks since the death of our nephew, I have certainly experienced times of laughter and silliness thinking of happy times with Jake. But when I think long about him I am filled with sadness. But it isn’t an all consuming sadness where I can’t look up and feel that “joy” that I know Christ is with me and won’t let me stay in my sadness. During this time I can’t make myself happy. I can only let Christ fill me with the deep “joy” that only He can give me.
Okay. Long enough. Just a thought. Love you much.
C
Excellent discussion on a challenging topic – how to be joyful in difficult circumstances. Paul “learned the secret of being content in any and every situation,” and God through him commanded us to be joyful. I think that command implies control – that we too can learn to be content even in difficult times. For my exploration of Paul’s “secret”, see Journey to Joy – http://amzn.com/144218776X
I can dig it Jim, I struggle with that too. I know the normal me which is very considerate as you say on days when I can sense a certain joy within my own spirit. At those other times when I am troubled, fearful, lonely, insecure, and unsure about my present and future, i have to really work hard to maintain a sense of “professionalism’. i don’t mean on the job, i mean in life cause i think to myself, ‘what is going on with me isn’t on somebody else so they don’t deserve to have to deal with what i feel.’ at the same time those that KNOW me really can tell there is a difference. i can’t hide and pretend everything is everything all the time, but i figure i can be respectful and courteous if at all possible. otherwise i just try to get lost so my feelings and attitude don’t hurt others.
Hey Jim. Good job. Anyone can be happy by choice. Only believers can have joy by choice. I think joy is supernatural happiness…
“Joy is supernatural happiness.” I like that. Thanks.
One of your best and most inspiring posts. I had to share with a good friend of mine who we refer to as Dr. Joy.
peace