where is the joy?

Ten years ago we had our house built in this neighborhood –the very first house to go up on the street, in the middle of an alfalfa field.  The following summer every single house on the rest of the street was built.  I’ve never experienced anything like it.  Every Saturday at 6:00:  Cement trucks.  Followed by trucks in and out, hammers, people hollering to each other, staple guns.  Painfully loud and 12 hours a day.

It was so noisy all summer that a few times I packed up the kids and drove away, just to find someplace quiet and construction free. 

Social media is an interesting neighborhood.  It’s loud.  Sometimes laugh-your-head-off loud.  Sometimes too-many-game-invitations loud.  Sometimes why-did-you-post-such-meaningless-drivel loud.  Sometimes gripe-gripe-gripe-cuss loud.  It’s that last one that makes me want to drive away and find someplace quiet and peaceful. 

Noise pollution. 

Paul gives a command.  Repeats it even.  “Rejoice in the Lord always.  I will say it again:  Rejoice!”  (Philippians 4:4  NIV) 

This is the question I’ve been chewing on for a while.  Do we have a right to expect joy from people who claim to walk with Christ?  I don’t mean every-day-is-roses fake happiness.  I mean a deep joy that pushes up and out even in the most painful and stressful circumstances.   

I would love to see joyful followers of Christ today.  On Facebook and in real life.  Wanna play?  Post or tweet or text or speak some rejoice-in-the-Lord words today.