Grin like a possum

I have the pleasure of knowing someone who is always smiling, happy, cheerful, and optimistic, regardless of any circumstance. I have observed this person under great duress. I saw him when he underwent extreme colon surgery which was not only painful, but his surgery left him in such bad shape that he will be burdened with its after-effects for the rest of his life, and yet even when he was at his darkest moments he remained cheerful and optimistic. It should be no surprise that he is a great Christian believer who is loved by all who know him and is involved in too many charitable projects to enumerate.

I am too often grumped up like an old bear and asked him one time how in the world he did it. He replied that every morning he looks at himself in the mirror and actually has a conversation with himself in which he reminds himself that he has the choice of being cheerful today or mad at the world. He elects to be cheerful and smiles broadly at his image in the mirror to get the ball rolling for the day. I quizzed and pressed him hard on this, because cynic that I am I have a very hard time envisioning any good coming from anyone standing there grinning and chattering away to himself in front of a mirror every morning prior to brushing his teeth, but he assured me that he physically does this every morning and has been doing so for over half a century.

I think many people are grumpy more often than not, and it is enhanced in times of turmoil and stress whereby they are even grumpier. We should keep in mind that God gives us the rain and stormy weather just like He gives us the sunshine and pleasant days, and regardless He expects us to live our lives without complaining and indeed shining our light like my friend.

We have some major issues at work whereby a former partner is unscrupulously giving us some grief with their dishonesty and outright lies and they are deliberately and maliciously violating our contractual agreement. I have the feeling that it will only get worse over the next 6-8 weeks as we convert to another vendor and fight it out, possibly in court. Pretty much anyone who is involved in this fight or has to deal with our mad customers who are caught in the middle is stressed out to no end. Unlike my friend most everyone involved with this mess to a person is grumped up and smiles are rare.

This morning I was thinking about all of this as I stood before the mirror preparing to brush my teeth. I looked at my grumpy face in the mirror and I thought of my friend smiling broadly and talking to himself about being cheerful today. Hmmm “Naw I just cannot do it!” I brushed my teeth through a big frown.

The Lord would not allow me to just let this issue go however; and left me devoid of peace on the subject of my grumpiness. When I sat down at my desk this morning to write today’s devotional, I was led to read the following verse, (which incidentally reminds me of my friend), and I will try that approach today Perhaps if you are having grumpy problems today some of this will assist you in grinning like a possum and shining like a light

Phil. 2:14
Do all things without
complaining and disputing,
that you may become blameless
and harmless children of God without
fault in the midst of a crooked
and perverse generation among
whom you shine as lights in the
world.