To Whom Do You Bring Joy?

Last week I mentioned Marie Kondo, the Japanese tidy-up guru, in a sermon. She said that if you want to minimize what you have, you are to hold the object up and say to yourself, “Does this bring me joy?” Of course, I have my response to that. I wonder, though, if you could turn the question around and say to yourself, “To whom do I bring joy?” That, to me, is the real question, especially since Christians like us are supposed to be about joy.

It’s no secret that we live in difficult times that do not often bring joy. Sometimes I, myself, have a-hundred-mile-stare instead of an inviting smile. If we are to be the people we were created to be, we need to be there for others, touching their lives with a true sense of graceful attentiveness. When you are being heard and understood, you are being loved and, therefore, feeling joy.

What appears to be happening instead is that the avid consumption of social media is interfering with how we communicate, but especially with our young generation’s social skills. Young people often don’t know how to make small talk or interact with people. They simply often stare at you. To quote from Wikipedia, “the Gen Z stare is a phenomenon described by social media users as a ‘blank stare that members of younger generations give in situations where a verbal response would be more common’”.

We all know that social media increasingly shapes our lives. Many people today are isolated and feel lonely. It’s no secret that social media can enhance those feelings rather than help overcome them. By contrast, the church is one of those places where you meet people in person who share who they are, what they believe, and, as the hymn goes, “a sympathizing tear”. Don’t be surprised if, during the Sharing of the Peace or coffee hour, you are bringing joy to the lives of others.

MEH