This third week of Advent is focused on joy. I’ve been trying to formulate a working definition of joy, for there it’s kinda hard to quantify how it’s different from happiness or euphoria or gladness or… You get my point. When Toby sees Sunny every morning he begins jumping up and down and is about as gleeful a dog as you could ever imagine. Is that joy? When I finish a major project that I’ve been working on for a long time, is that joy? How about when I see a red panda looking adorable on lying on a tree branch? Is that joy? What exactly does joy to the world even mean? Is there a single source of joy for all the world, or is it a generalized statement that everyone everywhere can and should feel happy? William Wordsworth wrote a beautiful poem entitled, Surprised by Joy about the moment he first felt happiness again after the death of his wife. I love that poem, and who am I to question the wonderful Wordsworth, but I’m not positive that the emotion he’s actually describing is joy, but more like unfettered happiness – however briefly.
Words have meaning, but so often we use terms loosely, not thinking about how we dilute those meanings by using grandiose words for lesser things (that was not a slam on William Wordsworth, by the way).
Let’s talk about Toby when he sees Sunny. Is it joy or glee? How about when he and Sunny escape out of the garage and race around frantically and excitedly when I come home. Is that joy or euphoria (or just sheer craziness)? When I find the perfect charm for my bracelet is that joy I’m feeling or pleasure? When I hear the perfect chord in a piece of music and it seemingly speaks to my soul, is that joy or peace? When I stand and in a spot of beauty and look out at God’s creations, is that joy or grateful happiness? So many times I throw out the word joy when I really mean something else.
What then is joy? Here is the definition I’m going with: joy is feeling God’s love and feeling at one with Him. It is the deepest emotion on the happiness scale and encompasses peace and happiness and satisfaction and more. It is felt in the very deepest regions of the soul and can’t be easily be displaced. In many ways it is the essence of the word shalom, which literally means peace, harmony, wholeness, completeness, and tranquility.
Joy to the world, therefore, is a worldwide shalom wherein Christ brought salvation into the world. Those who seek Him, strive to be like Him, and choose to be close to Him can know joy and peace. Christ stands at the door and knocks – to bring us joy! What a concept!
When the angels spoke to the shepherds on that hallowed hillside they said, “Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people.” After a few more explanatory comments, that wonderful heavenly choir burst into song, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” Christ birth brought joy to the entire world, further expounded on as peace and good will to all. (Just a quick side note: I’m pretty convinced that the angel choir sang what we know as Handel’s music from Messiah. It was then preserved and given to Handel to put on paper to be given to the rest of us, because, you know, it just obviously is the case.)
To feel joy one must not feel enmity towards God or towards other people. True joy is love: love for Christ and love for our fellow travelers here on earth. Think about a time when you were wronged but chose to not feel offended, but looked at the person’s heart as God sees them. How did that feel? I will suggest that those are moments of joy. Joy is filled with love, love, and more love. It is contentment with one’s place in God’s plan and without competition or comparison with others. It is feeling love towards God and trusting in His great plan for each of us. It is the most profound feeling of peace with all around us. It is Scrooge in his moment of realization and repentance – understanding that we are all an important cog of the wonderful mechanism of life.
I met a man this week who stated that mankind is so horrible that we didn’t deserve to live on this planet. I debated him on the subject, but was sad when we just agreed to disagree. I ached for his pain that he felt so desolate. He has been very successful economically and that is where he admitted he chose to look for his satisfaction. He seemed very happy. Jolly even. But then he spoke about the hopelessness of the world it just broke my heart.
So here we are. Christ brought joy when He was born that Christmas morning and we anxiously look forward to the millennium of joy when He rules and reigns here on earth. There is no greater desire than to seek for a piece of that joy and to wish it for all of the world. Shalom! May joy and peace be yours this coming week!
Look to God and Live... Joyfully! 