Sweet or Sour?

Many years ago, Dale Carnegie (1888-1955), wrote a groundbreaking little book entitled How to Win Friends and Influence People. In one of the chapters titled “A Simple Way to Make a Good Impression,” Carnegie talks about the importance of one’s facial expression and how it affects the people we meet. He points out that “the expression one wears on one’s face is far more important then the clothes one wears on one’s back.” In other words, your facial expressions matter! Quoting Professor James McConnell, a psychologist at the University of Michigan, Carnegie adds, “People who smile tend to manage, teach and sell more effectively, and to raise happier children. There’s far more information in a smile than a frown. That’s why encouragement is a much more effective teaching device than punishment.”

Joel Osteen of Lakewood Church in Texas tells the story of a little boy who came up to him once with a troubled expression on his face. He asked, “I want to know something about you.” “Okay,” Osteen responded, “What do you want to know?” The boy asked, “I want to know why you smile so much.” In response, Osteen answered him by saying, “Well, I smile because I’m a happy person. Do you smile very often?” The little boy thought about the question and said, “Only when I’m eating ice cream.” The point to this story is clear: Many people only smile when everything in their lives is going well. When things are not, it is written all over their faces. Now, please don’t misunderstand me, I’m not suggesting that we become phony and walk around with a smile penciled on our faces no matter what. But what I am saying is this: Many of us need to lighten up and learn how to smile – better yet, to laugh, for as Proverbs 15:13 says, “A happy heart makes the face cheerful” (NIV).

Always remember, “A sour face does not come by chance; it is made by sour thoughts.” Perhaps it is time to look on the bright side of life, for your thinking will encourage a facial expression that will make a huge impact on others, for “A cheerful look brings joy to the heart” (Prov. 15:30, NIV).