Hushing Joy

Yes, we all do it. Think of your children with you in church. They make any sound and what do we do? We ‘hush’ them.

Did you know that the only ‘hushes’ in the Bible are folks by the name of Hushai, Husham, the fellow called Sibbekai, the Hushathite, and the Hushim and the Hushites?

No hushing to speak of in the lot of them. Some child once referred to the church ushers as their ‘hushers’ but I think we all fill that category.

Someone is joyful and we squash their happiness. As we age we seem more likely to consider expressions of joy an affront.

Did you know that one dictionary describes laughter as an expression of mirth accompanied by certain –convulsive, — involuntary actions of the breathing muscles? Air is forced from the chest in a series of jerks, which produces short, abrupt sounds. Certain movements take place in the face and merriment is visible in the eyes. Doesn’t sound like too much fun does it?

Laughter and happiness are akin to joy. The Bible describes laughter this way.

A merry heart does good like a medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones. (Proverbs 17:22)                                                                                          

“If you have nice little categories for ‘joy is what Christians have’ and ‘happiness is what the world has,’ you can scrap those when you go to the Bible, because the Bible is indiscriminate in its uses of the language of happiness and joy and contentment and satisfaction.”(John Piper)

What a dower bunch of Christians we are if we refuse either one under the guise of holiness.

Prayer- Lord we take you at your word. Those who sow in tears will reap songs of joy. (Psalm 126:5, NIV)

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