Preaching and Smiling

Christ told his disciples to "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation."  From day one of the church's movement until now, preaching the good news has been a staple for every believer in the Christian faith.  

As followers of Christ, we are called to...

Preach.  Proclaim.  Share.  Express.  Articulate.  Whisper.  Serve.  Declare.  Announce.  Demonstrate.  Manifest.  

I like how St. Francis of Assisi said it when he said, "Preach the gospel at all times, and when necessary, use words."  Although St. Francis has been referred to as a "preacher," he advocated that people preach through other methods than mere public speaking.

Some Christians are called to preach among the church, but all are called to preach apart from the church.  Some people preach quietly while others preach loudly.  Some depend more on speaking while others depend more on writing.  Preaching takes on many forms, but all Christians are called to participate in preaching the good news to all of creation.

More on this, but first I want to talk about smiling…

[ Love to Smile]

This week, I had one of my front teeth extracted.  It wasn't fun and still isn't.

When I was about 19, I had my front right tooth knocked in while playing basketball.  Soon after, I had to have a root canal and a crown put in.  Recently at a routine dentist appointment, X-rays showed that the root of this front tooth was deteriorating.  The dentist referred me to the local oral surgery practice as to schedule an implant.  This past week, they pulled out my front tooth and implanted a titanium post.

The oral surgery took place four days ago and because of swelling, I've been unable to use my retainer and its replacement tooth.  

I've always loved to smile, but in the past four days, I've become insecure and self conscious about what my smile has become.  The missing tooth is extremely visible.  People can't not notice when they talk to me.

Smiling is a powerful thing that I often take for granted.

There's something fascinating about "the smile" - a language that everyone speaks regardless of where they're from.  The smile is a expression of…

joy, 

happiness, 

humor, 

kindness, 

fun, 

love, 

and if we're honest, it can also be used as a tool of 

deceit or manipulation.

People always told me they thought my smile was contagious.  In other words, they've said, "your smile speaks a language that I understand."  And I've come to know the truth of this over the years.  I've used the smile to bring hope and happiness to people who needed it.  I've used my smile to tell friends and family that everything will be OK.  I've used the language of the smile quite heavily throughout my years in ministry and I've benefitted greatly from other people's smiles as well.

Mother Theresa seemed to know this as a minister to the sick and dying in Calcutta, India.  She used to say things like:

• "Peace begins with a smile."
• "Let us make one point, that we meet each other with a smile, when it is difficult to smile."
• "Let us always meet each other with smile, for the smile is the beginning of love."
• "Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing."
• "We shall never know all the good that a simply smile can do."

Emily Dickinson also seemed to recognize the significance of the smile when she said, "They might not need me; but they might.  I'll let my head be just in sight; a smile as small as mine might be precisely their necessity."

Lately, I feel like I haven't been able to effectively speak the language of the smile.

What do you do when you think your smile is broken?

When your smile is broken and people don't respond like they used to, what then?  I used to smile and receive a smile in response; now it seems as if people respond with concern.  It's not a bad thing, it's just a different thing.  I've been told that I notice more than anyone else, but when my social life has a significant change because of a missing front tooth, yes, I agree that I probably do notice it more than others.  Honestly, it's made me quite insecure and self conscious.

Lately, I've stopped smiling.  I've tried to cover up what was broken.
Should I stop smiling?

Because my smile isn't what I think it should be, I've tried to hide my missing tooth.  I didn't want people to see my smile.  I didn't want to get attention in such a humiliating way.  I've felt so inadequate.

But, I didn't stop smiling.  I refuse to let insecurity oppress joy.  I'll smile more, even if I only have one front tooth.  I even preached with one front tooth.  Yes, I was insecure, but I won't stop smiling or preaching.

I want to go back to talking about preaching again...

[Back to Preaching]

I've wanted to stop sharing the good news taught by Jesus because I've felt that I wasn't adequate as a communicator.  Sometimes I think my "preaching" is broken and, like my smile, I've wanted to quite all together.

I know a bunch of other people as well that don't preach, teach, share their faith, or talk about Jesus because they don't think they're qualified or somehow good enough.  They feel like something is broken, so they stop.  But should they stop?  Should I stop smiling just because I feel like my smile is broken?

However you share Christ to people, do it.  Don't stop.  And if you feel like you're somehow inadequate, trust God to give you the words, the motives, the heart, and the attitude to continue.  Keep peaching the Gospel at all times, and when it's necessary, use words to do it.

Preaching is a powerful thing.  Your preaching may put the message of Christ in a language understandable to those around you.  Some people may never truly know about the power and legitimacy of the Gospel if you don't take the opportunity to preach it.  The people around you may be waiting for you.  You might be the method God uses to speak to that person, if you would just preach.  And when people don't respond how you want them to or how you think they should, preach anyways.  Preach when people want to hear it, but also when people don't want to hear it.  Preach and proclaim the Gospel, the immense love and work of God, even when you think you're not that good at it.  Keep preaching.

Whatever art or method your preaching takes on, keep doing it.

Don't let your insecurity stop you from preaching…  God's strength is made known in your weakness.

Let's keep preaching the good news to all creation.