Making God Smile

Would you agree with Mother Teresa that “true holiness consists in doing God’s will with a smile?”

In his best-selling book When The Game Is Over It All Goes Back In The Box, Pastor John Ortberg says, “the purpose of life is to make God smile.” And when you do that, you make others smile too. The Apostle Paul felt this when writing to his friends in Thessalonica: “For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you?” (1 Thessalonians 2:19)

Yes, there is great joy and even rewards as you follow Christ - but the pursuit of rewards, Pastor Ortberg observed, can break you if you go after the wrong kind. C.S. Lewis distinguished between “intrinsic” and “extrinsic” rewards. For example, if a woman wants to marry a man for his money, that’s seeking an extrinsic reward. It is selfish and ultimately will be hollow. However, if a woman marries a man for love, that too is a kind of reward - but it’s the one that properly goes with the action. Love, Ortberg concludes, always seeks the enjoyment of its object.

So what does it look like to seek the “enjoyment of the object” in everyday life? A musician masters her instrument, not for the applause of people, but for the sheer joy of music. A student studies hard for the love of learning rather than a GPA that will impress others. An employee finds deep satisfaction in a job well done rather than a larger paycheck or an envied title. And a giver contributes generously to a ministry such as Mel Trotter Ministries during and after his or her lifetime - not to be recognized or rewarded, but because the gift will please the Lord and bless others.