It is easy for Christians to misunderstand non-Christians. As a pastor I know all to well that it is easy to get into a Christian sub-culture only to look out at the culture and think that “they” are like this or that. I can’t recall how may times that I have heard and said that “The people in Southern Illinois drink to get drunk”. From a Southern Illinois Christian sub-culture that statement sounds so true. However I have found that not be be the case at all. Statements like that receive so many head nods from Christians but are laughed at by non-Christians. I think we have done something similar with how we talk about happiness and joy. Let me explain.
All my life I have heard about the difference between happiness and joy. Not only have I heard about this difference but I have also taught about this difference with great passion. It goes like this “Happiness is temporary pleasure that can be stripped away in a second, but joy remains even if everything is taken”. Have you heard this before? I don’t necessarily say that this distinction bad I just think it reveals another way that we swim in a Christian subculture that is confusing to outsiders. Here are two reasons I think this is important.
Have you ever heard someone ask about another persons happiness? I think the answer most of you have to that is a resounding yes! In fact the world is obsessed with chasing happiness at all cost. When a non-Christian asks if a friend or a love one is happy what is it that they are asking? Well I am quite certain that the information wanted in return from the question is not about temporary pleasures. When non-Christians ask about other peoples happiness they are not asking if in that moment they are riding a roller-coaster or having fun at a park with their family. Rather, whats being asked has with it a concern as to whether or not that person has found lasting purpose and fulfillment in this world. I have yet to meet a person who talks about living a happy life who has in mind a life filled with only temporary pleasures. It seems to me that what we Christians call joy is the very thing every non-Christian is after. The problem is that “we” in here think that “they” out there are after temporary pleasures because they call it happiness.
Secondly and more importantly, I don’t see this distinction in the bible, see Ps 1. Where does this distinction come from? In the bible happiness and joy are synonyms. I believe this distinction has been brought to light due to a lack of ability to explain to the person at life crossroad decision the difference of true and false happiness. The person in this pivotal moment knows that two roads lay ahead and is deciding by which appears to bring the most happiness. Instead of saying “You want joy not happiness right?” What we need to do is explain that happiness is Gospel centered not self-centered. This person needs to know that while temporary pleasure is within their grasp, happiness is in Christ. People need to know that happiness is possible because of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus says in John 15:11 that we abide in Him that our Joy may be full! Well what does joy mean? Look it up in greek, or in a english dictionary and guess what word you find? Happiness.
I believe this has missional implications. We have to better understand people and we need to help people understand that happiness “joy” is Gospel Centered. Everyone needs to know that true happiness in the world is possible because the Gospel of Jesus Christ is true. Jesus is more valuable than anything else and happy is the man who can say with Paul in Phil 3:7-11 “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead”
Thoughts?
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