A Smile (03/16/2025)

As I walked into the restaurant, I saw her sitting and watching the people around her. Our eyes met, and I smiled. As I passed her table, she spoke to me. “Do I know you?” she asked. “I don’t believe we’ve met,” I answered. “But you smiled at me like you knew me,” she said. “I smiled because I thought you were someone I’d like to know,” I answered. “Really?” she asked. “Really,” I answered. And her smile broadened exponentially.

She introduced herself. I followed suit. She told me a little about herself. I told her how happy I was to have met her and that I looked forward to seeing her again. She smiled and then said, “You know I may not remember your name.” I assured her it was all right. “Then we’ll meet again. I’d like that,” I said. She smiled again.

That encounter has stayed with me for a while. It still amazes me how a smile, a simple smile, can be instrumental in changing things – changing us – changing our world. It costs nothing. I’ve made up my mind that I will intentionally do it more often. And I wonder how the world could change if we all smiled just a bit more. Who would we meet? Who would we become?

A smile tells another they are seen in a good way. A smile implies delight or joy. A smile can say so much without a word about us but also about those whom we encounter.

The opposite is true, as well. More than once in my life I’ve encountered another whose expression took me back, made me feel as if seeing me was a displeasure. I try to chalk it up to something they’ve eaten that’s giving them indigestion, but at times that doesn’t work, at times I know that it is me that has turned them sour. As I was thinking about the woman and how my smile turned into more, I’ve resolved to meet future grimacing greeting with a smile. It can’t hurt. Who knows, it may help.

As we go about our lives this day, continuing on our spiritual journeys, let us remember that the number one indication of knowing Christ is joy and let us wear it on our faces. And when we encounter another whom we know our loving Savior died to save, let us see the LORD’s love for them and smile in recognition of that love. Heaven knows, He died for us as well. And that is worth smiling about.

Until tomorrow, let us all love well.