Monday, August 20, 2012

Building Joy In Others

Everyone around you is dealing with the pressures of life. Some are discouraged, anxious, and others are in deep despair. Anyone of us can become so focused on the pain of the moment that we forget to be thankful and lose our joy.

You and I can bring light into those shadowed places and rekindle thankfulness by building joy in others. It's the golden rule for living. "Here is a simple, rule-of-thumb guide for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you, then grab the initiative and do it for them. Add up God's Law and Prophets and this is what you get. Being and Doing." Matthew 7:12 (The Message)

Here are eight ways in which we can be used of God to build joy in others.
1.  Smile whenever you greet those you love, and use sincere voice tones.
2.  Ask questions that invite others to tell you truthfully, how they are doing, and what they are thinking.  Listen intently without interrupting.
3.  Take a sincere interest in really knowing the other person.  Work hard to understand the other’s fears, joys, passions, talents, and pain. 
4.  Treat each other with dignity and respect.  When ending a discussion, try to make both people feel affirmed.
5.  Use touch whenever appropriate: Hold hands, link arms, give hugs, and use physical connection as effectively as you can.
6.  Discover what brings the person joy:  a time to talk, encouraging notes, a helping hand, or evening walks.
7.  Give them little surprises that will cause their eyes to light up, and let your eyes light up, too!  The joy builds as the glances go back and forth.
8.  Cherish babies and children by establishing through words and actions that you are authentically “glad to be with them”.

Think about it. Aren't you thankful when someone treats you in one or all of the eight way mentioned above? English novelist William Makepeace Thackeray said, "Life is a mirror; if you frown at it, it frowns back; if you smile, it returns the greeting."

*1-8 Living From The Heart Jesus Gave You, pg24, Shepherd’s House, Inc.