The Secret of Happiness!

Red Nose Day was another great success. Huge fun was enjoyed by many people, and enormous sums of money was given away to good causes. It looks like a win-win situation.

But this is not surprising. 

The New Testament records St. Paul passing on a famous saying of Jesus. 'You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” (Acts 20.35)

We know that Jesus was someone who practiced what he preached. He taught his followers that greed wasn't the way to live. Throughout the Sermon on the Mount, for instance, he relentlessly showed a different way to live. 

'God blesses those who are humble,
    for they will inherit the whole earth.
God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice,
    for they will be satisfied.
God blesses those who are merciful,
    for they will be shown mercy.' (Matthew 5.5-7)

For most of human history, it appears that it is the greedy who grab the earth - and then destroy it. The merciful find themselves at the bottom of the pile, and it is the ruthless and violent who win the battles, while 'justice' is something that the rich buy whenever they want to get their way.

But Jesus sees beyond the appearance to the deeper reality. Later, he speaks of a profound paradox, which is secret of happiness. 'If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?' (Mark 8.35-36)

The lesson here is that every day can be a 'Red Nose Day' for those following Jesus. Generous people are happy people. 

Best wishes,

Richard