A Dose of Joy
The line for the Post Office counter reached almost to the door and I was in a rush as usual. Looking around I noticed that the self serve postage machines along the wall each had only had one customer. Those in line must have needed counter service, as the machines were clearly visable. Great, I would be in and out in no time. There was so much to do yet. I still had to stop at two stores and my guests were coming in two hours. Why did I to get stuck late at work today?
After waiting for several minutes, I looked up and noticed that the older woman at the machine appeared to be struggling to make her transaction. Impatient to get going, I sighed quitely and thought, “If this lady doesn’t know how to use the machine, why doesn’t she go to the counter. She is really wasting my time.” My sigh must have been louder than I thought because she turned to look at me with an embarrassed face.
“I am sorry for taking so long, I know I must be holding you up. I am just no good with these machines. My granddaughter has shown me two or three times. I thought I understood. I was able to pay but now I don’t know where the stamps come out.” Turning back toward the machine, she whispered, “I guess I’ll never figure this out.”
In her sweet embarrassed face I saw my own Nana. For a moment, it almost sounded like her voice. The impatience I had been feeling began to slip away.
“Oh, it’s Okay. This machine is difficult. Sometimes the stamps don’t fall all the way down into the tray and you have to reach your hand up into the slot to pull them out. Let me help you.”
I looked down and the stamp retrieval tray was empty, so I bent over and reached up into the machine, bingo there they were, three sets of stamps. Thinking that she had done something wrong she had repeated the procedure three times.
Handing her the stamps I said, “Well, at least you won’t have to come back anytime soon.”
We both had a laugh, she thanked me and was on her way. Fortunately, my transaction went off without a hitch. I retrieved the label to return that pair of hideous green shoes I bought online. Shopping online was great but sometimes what you received almost made you wonder if you had gone back in time to Funniest Home Videos. By now all of my urgency and impatience had melted away. As I walked back to my car I thought, “Wow, that was really nice. What a good feeling from doing such a little thing. And to think I almost missed the chance being so absorbed in myself. I’m sure that I will get home in time and everything will be fine for this evening, but I doubt that anything that happens will bring half as much joy as just seeing the smile on her face. Maybe somewhere someone is helping my Nana as well. I hope so.”
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Jesus words, “It is more blessed to give than to receive,” NIV(Acts 20:35) always ring true. We live in a world where people are always searching and striving to find some illusive pleasure or contentment. The idea seems to be that the more things, the more money, the more whatever you acquire the happier you will be. Actually, it seems the more you strive and struggle for these things, the more dissatisfied you become. Strange as it may sound, getting is not the answer. You cannot get enough of anything to fill you. Yet doing good for others will bring a joy that warms your heart.
Want to live a more joyful and satisfied life? Stop reaching, grabbing, chasing, and consuming and start GIVING. It yields a most beautiful and fulfilling Dose of Joy.
If you are looking for true satisfaction and contentment, get to know the one who created us. Get to know Jesus Christ, He will give you joy everlasting. If you don’t know where to begin, start by reading from the Bible, the Gospel of John. (Key verses: John 3:16, 5:24)