Radiance

One of my favorite verses is Psalm 34:5 -- "Those who look to him are radiant. . ."  This verse is not talking about physical beauty but rather a radiance that can only come from a deep joy within.  A joy that is found in being secure in the love of my Savior.  I want others to see through my face that I have something different, a radiance from the Son.

You know how you remember exactly where you were when certain things in your life took place?  I can remember the exact spot I was in when Dick Klaussen, a fellow teacher at Roseville High School, asked me why I was always so happy.  I didn't know Dick all that great but he headed up the auto mechanics classes at Roseville and often let me drop my car off there to get worked on.  Here this very generous older man, probably about 50, was asking me why I always had a smile on my face.  I probably mumbled and said something like, "Oh, I don't know, do I?"  Nothing that pointed him to Jesus, the source of my joy, that was for sure.

I didn't think much of our conversation that day.  That is, until sometime that summer when a friend mentioned that Dick had died of a heart attack.  I had a thank-you note all ready to mail to him for a wedding gift he'd given me a month before.  A guy I barely knew was nice enough to do my car repairs for free and give me a wedding gift, and I couldn't even give him the best gift ever of a simple response -- Jesus is the reason I am always happy.  Was I really always happy?  No.  But I must've been "radiant" enough that Dick noticed.  And now Dick is gone and I don't know if anyone ever pointed him to Jesus.  I am so sorry, Lord.  Help me to never ignore an opportunity like that again.  And give me a radiance that someday someone might once again ask, "Why are you always so happy?"