Joy

(n): profound feeling of happiness and contentment

In church this morning I was reminded about the power of joy.

"This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it."

Psalm 118:24

In church last week I was shown the humanity of those who would make me their enemy. A woman got up and walked over to another woman who was in obvious pain. I barely noticed because I was reading and reflecting, not looking up. When I did look, I saw human hands holding each other, one on the other’s shoulder. The other on the one’s hand.

Politics doesn’t enter the church overtly, but they are Trump supporters. I, as a firm believer in representative democracy and freedom of worship, am not a Trump supporter. I don’t go because I question my faith. I don’t go to prove my faith. God knows my prayers from my closet. That’s enough. I go because I want to practice my empathy.

MAGA says empathy is weakness. Christ said it was a strength. I know the fruit of callousness and I know the fruit of empathy. I know what I choose.

"If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it."

1 Corinthians 12:26

Empathy brings joy to the afflicted. Callousness brings joy to the cruel. Empathy brings joy to the giver and the receiver. Callousness brings nothing to the receiver.

I love the people in my church. They base everything off of Jesus’ sermon on the mount. They are joyous in their love for Jesus. I am not sure they would know Jesus on the street, but who among us could be sure?

Joy sustains dissident movements. The Soviet Union would not have fallen if Lech Wałęsa didn’t foster joy in those around him through empathy. He spoke eloquently about this in his Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech (linked below).

“Let my words convey to you the joy and the never extinguished hope of the millions…”

-Lech Wałęsa

Seek joy where you have none. Create joy where you see none. Nourish joy and it will sustain you in return.

Romans 5