Service with a Smile

                                                             Service with a Smile
                       “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.”

                                John 15:12

A Facebook message from a young teen read as follows:

“ I just wanted to say that this is the first year of my life I actually feel that I'm actually loved by people! I appreciate it. Thank you”

Ashley’s story

Ashley walked onto the new campus reluctantly.  She was not comfortable with crowds and that's what high school is—crowds of unfamiliar people. They all appeared confident and well liked—nicely dressed and successful. She was afraid.

Oh, they’re not going to like me. They’ll probably hate me. If only someone would just smile at me!
 
Rachel’s story.
Rachel transferred to a new school.She said" hi" to everyone. Many times Rachel

Rachel

had no response. But she wasn't daunted. She kept on smiling and saying “hi”! By the end of the year she had plenty of friends. She joined clubs and got involved. She was friendly!

The Bible has great advice on friendship.

“A man who has friends must himself be friendly.”
Proverbs 18:24a

Have you ever heard friends say?

I’ll never forget when you smiled at me."
                                                  
Or
                  
I felt so alone until you smiled at me”
                                              
 Or
                                                          
“Out of all those people, you are the one who encouraged me.”

You're great when you serve God with a smile. So many like Ashley feel uneasy when they're around strangers. But someone said "hi" to Ashley. Someone smiled.  That's right! She's the teen with the happy Facebook message.

Ashley

Do you have a story to share? Please share. I’d love to hear from you!