Cheerful Hearts and the DMV

I went to renew my car registration this week.  I wasn’t looking forward to it.  I can’t say I’ve had a fun experience at the DMV.

As I sat in line, waiting to have my truck’s emissions tested, I looked at my fellow drivers.  They didn’t look happy either.  We were on the same page:  the DMV is not fun.

After a short wait, it was my turn.  I pulled into the garage, stopped the truck, and got out.  A cheerful woman met me with a smile, took my registration, and began the test.  She seemed happy enough that some might wonder, “Doesn’t she know she works for the DMV?”

We had a pleasant conversation as the test ran its course.  We talked about the weather, my truck, and even discussed my experiences with other DMVs.  The attendant’s disposition was infectious.  By the time I left, I was smiling and had a bounce in my step.

Proverbs 17 says, “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up bones.”  The writer of the Proverbs suggests that a joyful disposition influences others like medicine.  The attendant at the DMV proved the Proverb to be true.  Her cheerful heart was medicine for me.

As you go through the coming week, let Jesus influence your disposition.  He gives our hearts a cheer that runs deeper than laughter or tears.  That joy isn’t just for us, but it can be medicine for the world around us.  Let your cheerful heart declare Christ’s goodness in ordinary places like the DMV this week.