LET JESUS SHINE!--By Maria                Maria No.57               7/86

         1. I WAS BROUGHT UP TO BE VERY HONEST. It bothers me to be hypocritical or lie or deceive or cover up. So knowing I should act happy when I feel sad posed a problem for me. I wondered, "How can I put on a smile & look happy when I don't really feel that way?" But the Lord helped me to resolve this question to my satisfaction. The answer is:
         2. YOU HAVE TO REALISE THAT IT'S NOT YOU, IT'S THE LORD'S HAPPINESS THAT YOU'RE SHOWING in your joyful countenance & happy smile. It is not being hypocritical to "put on" a happy face when you're sad, & you are not pretending, because it's the Lord's happiness that's showing, it's not yours anyway. So you are not being hypocritical. To the contrary, you are being a wonderful example of Jesus shining through you.--"Not I, but Christ Who lives within me" & is showing His face, the beauty of Jesus being seen in you! (Gal.2:20)
         3. PROBABLY OUR NEW STAFF MEMBER, AS HE HEARS THIS COUNSEL ABOUT LOOKING MORE CHEERFUL, is going to think, "Wait a minute! You told me to be honest & open & not cover up anything, & now here you are telling me to smile & look happy & cover what I'm feeling inside. You made this big deal about telling me to be honest, not to cover up, be open & show my feelings, & now you are telling me just the opposite."
         4. NO, NOT AT ALL!--ON HIS FACE WE WANT A SMILE. With his mouth we want him to tell us what he is feeling, all his fears & trials, whatever he wants to say to us, & to be completely honest. With his mouth we want him to confess & tell all his heart, but not with his expression. We want him to be just as honest as we said, but we don't want to have to read it on his face, we want to read it on paper.
         5. IT'S PART OF LOVE WHEN YOU ARE HAPPY WITH PEOPLE & SMILING & SACRIFICING. It's part of showing Love when our expression does not make other people feel bad, or feel that we don't like them, or look as if we're being critical or fearful, or when we're just down in the dumps. If you put on a happy face, that is part of showing people the happiness & joy & the Love of the Lord, He's showing His Love & joy & peace through you!--Isn't that wonderful?
         6. I THINK PEOPLE IN THE FAMILY MAY HAVE GOTTEN A LITTLE MIXED UP & gotten the impression they should hide their problems & never share their hearts or feelings, because we said, "Be So Happy", try to be positive & try to exude faith & happiness & joy & don't go around looking so down in the mouth, like you're in the dumps. So they took that to mean that they're never supposed to say anything about their true feelings either. But that's not what we want. We want you to look happy for the sake of your witness, but we want you to write all about your problems on paper or talk to someone with your mouth who can help you. You're supposed to do both!
         7. THERE'S A TIME TO LOOK PLEASANT & SMILE, WHICH IS MOST OF THE TIME IN FRONT OF OTHERS, & there's a time to cry out to the Lord & others for help, confessing your faults one to another & praying for one another, bearing each other's burdens & not forgetting to communicate. Don't neglect either one.