We have all heard of the man who tried to be a philosopher ‘but cheerfulness was always breaking in.’ We must thank Boswell for this reminiscence and this encouragement to self-deprecation. Cheerfulness is like that. It doesn’t take life too seriously. But a slight qualification is needed. Many a true word is spoken in jest. Cheerfulness is like geological strata; there are many layers, some thick, others wafer-thin. Cheerfulness is like the latter. It is not solemn; it is not exhaustive. It is not tiresome.
Tiresome? It’s the hearty person who is likely to wear us out. Perseveringly determined to see the bight side of things, optimistic to a fault, a gung-ho enthusiast wears us down until we plead for a little reticence, a little time for thought.
Solemn? The difference between being serious and being solemn lies deeper than face-level. Serious concern is comprehensive; it goes to the root of the matter. Solemnity is a garment to be worn for the occasion and then cast off.
Exhaustive? Just when we have listed the things to be thankful for comes Shakespeare’s after-loss. We may have dropped our guard and taken a break. We collect ourselves. We reconstruct our cheerful working nature.
‘Cheer up!’ said Jesus to a paralysed man (Matthew 9.2) ‘Your sins and forgiven.’ ‘Cheer up!’ he said to his disciples when they thought they had seen a ghost when in fact they had seen him – walking on the water. (Matthew 14.27) ‘Cheer up!’ said Jesus, speaking of his departure and their loss (John 16.33). Jesus did not throw cheerfulness about as though there was no tomorrow but there was a steady, purposeful relaxed way about him that made his cheerfulness meaningful.
A good wine needs no bush, as we used to say. And good cheer does not need constant verbal reference. Being cheerful is better than being complaisant. A cheerful composure is a winning feature in getting on with others and it is welcome in someone showing the way to new territory.
Let’s be cheerful Christians!
If you have a comment on this post please send an email to Revd John King at johnc.king@talktalk.net Edited extracts may be published. To forward this to a friend click on the chain icon below.
Comments