Making Jesus Smile

Today was a much needed breath of fresh air. Literally! 80 degrees. Sunshine. Light breeze. It was a day that was meant to be spent outdoors. That is just what I did. Ella encouraged me to take a break from my outside chores because she needed to be pushed in the swing. The girl could swing for hours.

After a few minutes in the swing, as I'm pushing her higher and higher, she starts making funny noises and gigling after each sound or two. She's barking like a dog, meowing like a cat, blowing her lips together, mooing like a cow, and various other crazy-funny sounds. She only makes the sounds at highest point of the"up swing" while stretching her face up another inch or two.

We're both laughing at one point and I ask her if she's being silly.

She responds giggling, "Yea dad! I'm trying to make Jesus laugh. Do you think I'm making Him laugh?"

WOW! I love these moments. If you read this little blog at all you'll know that.

"Of course He's laughing. If I'm laughing He's gotta be rolling, laughing REALLY hard, " I tell her with a huge grin on my face and tear in my eye.

What's the moral of this?  You know there is one.


It is in our human nature to want to please people. We do it daily in relationships, at work, online, and in life. We hope to do something that pleases someone or catches their eye so that we can feel their approval in return. Most of the time that mentality leaves us anything but happy. And if it does it is just for a short time and leaves us constantly working to replenish that feeling.

BUT....

When we live in a way that we believe is pleasing to God...His joy becomes evident in our life. Just like Ella's giggling at herself thinking that what she was doing was making Jesus laugh, we are able to smile knowing we are living in a way that brings Him joy. And His joy is then made full in us.(John 15:10-11).

I know it sounds silly, but it made perfectly good sense to my five year old. Go out and make Jesus laugh, I bet you find yourself laughing too.