Delight

Some time back a video version of the Bible was produced called The Visual Bible. Each Gospel was presented verbatim, word for word, with the verse numbers quietly ticking in the corner of the screen. When the Gospel of Matthew came out, it received a harsh criticism — and it didn’t come from non‑believers. It came from Christians.

They complained that Jesus “smiled too much.”

What does that say about us?

One thing it suggests is that many Christians don’t like Jesus to be too warm or too approachable. Wouldn’t that be sad? We’d feel more comfortable with a stern Jesus than a relaxed, friendly one. And the bigger problem is that this isn’t how Jesus is presented in Scripture at all.

His first miracle was performed at a wedding feast — and it was to provide more wine for the party… and not just wine, but great wine. Without getting lost in the details, this tells us something simple: Jesus was the kind of person you enjoyed inviting to your celebration. And children felt comfortable with Him — which might be the biggest sign of all. If a child is at ease with an adult, especially with their parents nearby, that adult must be approachable, gentle, and safe.

So why would we resist a joyful God?

Maybe it’s because we believe the most important thing to God is whether we measure up. Are we good enough? Have we done enough? Does He like us, or is He angry with us? When we imagine God perpetually disappointed, we lose the warmth that makes relationship possible.

But here’s the biggest thing: Jesus died to clear away everything that would separate us from God. He wiped it clean. He removed it. Why? So, we could finally see God as He truly is — not a cosmic policeman waiting to catch us, but a Father who delights in us.

We can get lost nowadays in trying to protect our faith rather than projecting our faith into life. When we grow into fear or insecurity toward thinking we have to prove God we can land in patterns that seem judgmental, intolerant, backwards and abusive. We have an intimate, life-giving relationship with God, and that gives us the power to reflect the nature God displayed and taught through Jesus. The discipline and structure that God desires are the practices of discipleship and intimate learning modeled by Jesus.

We’ve been given the tools to walk out of anxiety and worry and to provide comfort and assurance. So, why aren’t we using them?

I was in a Bible study a short time ago and a discussion developed about the happiness of Christians. It made me remember the “Jesus smiles too much” critique. One man said, “You can’t go around be jolly all the time.” There was a general agreement, and it made me think. I thought about it on my walk home. I thought about it before I went to bed, and when I got up, it tracked me into my morning walk. That’s the day I started saying, “Hello,” and “Good morning,” to everyone I passed.

I knew I wasn’t going to be “jolly.” But I also knew that I was loved by God, that my present and future included His presence, and that He delighted in me. These became pronounced in my soul. So, I knew I could smile into my day and welcome those I passed with a simple blessing. It was about knowing the truth of Life. It was about being open. It was about practicing courage — the courage to be warm, to be present, to be seen, and to believe that God’s joy is real and something to share.

I am learning to walk into courage.