MAY 7 - Look on the Bright Side

“A cheerful look brings joy to the heart, and good news gives life to the bones” - Proverbs 15:30

We have the power and ability, with just a smile, a word, or a touch, to bring happiness and joy to the lives of others – they're lifted up, encouraged. Th Amplified Bible translation of this verse says, “The light of the eyes of him whose heart is joyful rejoices the heart of others” - Proverb 15:30. And the Message Bible says, “A twinkle in the eye means joy in the heart, and good news makes you feel fit as a fiddle” - Proverbs 15:30

This is the real meaning behind the famous children's story Pollyanna, written by Eleonore Porter. Spawning a whole line of books, Pollyanna sold over one million copies. The book was dramatised and later made into films and a BBC production. The word 'pollyanna' became a part of American vocabulary, and Webster's Dictionary defines it as “someone who is excessively happy.”

There lies the problem. Today when we think of a pollyanna, we think of someone who is happy to the point of denying reality. But if you recall, the story doesn't picture Pollyanna in that light at all. It's a tale about a little girl whose parents, missionaries, died, leaving her orphaned. Her only relative, an unpleasant, severe aunt took her, reluctantly, to live in her home.

Pollyannas favourite word was “glad,” and at every opportunity she loved to play her “Glad Game.” Every moment of every day Pollyanna found something positive to be glad about – no matter how bad the situation.

Pollyanna's cheerfulness eventually won over her aunt, transforming her into a pleasant, loving woman – in fact, the whole town became a different place – Pollyanna's cheerfulness brought joy to many hearts. But the question behind the story is, what lay behind Pollyanna's optimism?

Well, like so much early fiction, this book was written from a Christian perspective. This comes through clearly in a chapter in the middle of the book, where the town minister is discouraged to the point of resignation. Things hadn't gone well at church. Members were critical, bickering, and divisive. Pollyanna came across him in the woods where he'd gone to decide the way to go.

Noticing the ministers depressed expression. “I know how you feel, father used to feel like that too, lots of times. I reckon ministers do – generally. (My father) grew mighty discouraged until he found his rejoicing texts.” “His what?” “Well, that's what father used to call 'em. Of course, the Bible didn't name 'em that. But it's all them that begin, 'Be glad in the Lord,' or 'Rejoice greatly,' or 'Shout for joy,' and all that, you know – such a lot of 'em. Once, when father felt specially bad, he counted 'em. There were eight hundred of 'em.” “Eight hundred?” “Yes – that told you to rejoice and be glad, you know, that's why father named 'em the “rejoicing texts.” Father said that if God took the trouble to tell us eight hundred times to be glad and rejoice, He must want us to do it. And father felt ashamed that he hadn't done it more. After that, they got to be such a comfort to him, you know, when things went wrong, like the time the Ladies Aiders got in a fight. Why, it was those texts, too, father said, that made him think of the “Glad Game.”

Pollyanna's cheerfulness wasn't an air-headed escape from reality. Instead it was a simple child-like faith, learned from her father, trusting God and rejoicing in all life's ins-and-outs, and ups-and-downs.

What about us? How many 'glad texts' do we know? When frustrations and problems hit us, do we sink with the problem? Or do we play the 'Glad Game?' Here are three of my favourite texts:

“This is the day the Lord has given, let us be glad and rejoice in it” - Psalm 118:24

“I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the Lord” - Psalm 122:11

“But let all who take refuge in You be glad, Let them ever sing for joy; And may You shelter them, That those who love Your name may exult in You” - Psalms 5:11

Try it – it really works!

This song is full of “Happiness” - sung by Ken Dodd (1964). Click on the picture of Pollyanna's aunt before her transformation.