“A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance…” (Prov. 15:13)
It is told that when the great Adoniram Judson went as a missionary to Burma, he had such a burning desire to preach the gospel before he had even learned the language that he walked up to a Burman and embraced him. The man went home and told his wife that he had just seen an angel! Because Christ was so radiant on Mr. Judson’s countenance, the people began calling him, “Mr. Glory-Face.”
What would others call you because of your countenance?
We don’t realize it, but sometimes the countenance on our face is not that good. I’ve seen people whose countenance looks like they are mad all the time. What kind of countenance do you display at home, at work, or at school? Your countenance says a lot about you to others.
A cheerful countenance begins on the inside. The Bible says that it is “A merry heart” that gives us “a cheerful countenance.” In other words, the look on our face is affected by what is in our heart! If a person is battling depression, you can often tell it by their demeanor because their countenance reflects their heart.
So, how can we maintain “a cheerful countenance”? We do this by maintaining “A merry heart.” The word “merry” means to be glad; to rejoice; to be joyful. When we maintain a heart of thankfulness to God and rejoice in all He has and is doing in our lives, it will affect our heart, which will in turn affect our countenance!
“Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright.” (Ps. 33:1)
“I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.” (Isaiah 61:10)
Take some time, today, to rejoice and be glad for who God is and what He has done for you. Not only will it brighten your day, it will brighten your countenance, as well. Who knows, those around you might just start calling you, “Mr./Ms. Glory Face.”