A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. (Proverbs 17:22)
If happiness were a disease, none other would be more contagious. If you laugh often, if you’re making life fun, if you’re never very far from a smile, you’ll have no trouble encouraging people and making friends. People who really enjoy life are always, always in demand.
Leaders need to be happy people! Those who look to a leader for encouragement and hope don’t want the spectre of the grim reaper sitting at the boss’s desk. Many followers crawl to work every morning worn down by domestic conflicts and financial worries. They face a day of endless demands and thankless tasks, only later to return home to bickering, discontented mates and fussing children. Somehow, if you are in a position to influence them, God can use you to introduce the one ingredient—real and lasting joy—that will lighten their load.
In Nehemiah 12:27, the people have gathered to dedicate the recently completed wall. The city was slowly beginning to show signs of progress—new homes, new businesses, the whole gamut of urban renewal. Although times were still hard, a new spark of enthusiasm and a renewed vision gave the people hope to continue. A monumental feat had been accomplished.
Now at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought out the Levites from all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem so that they could celebrate the dedication with joy, with songs of thanksgiving and with songs to the accompaniment of cymbals, harps, and lyres. (12:27 NASB)
The Hebrew word for joy means “gaiety, mirth, pleasure, delight.” The people brought in this group of specialists and said, “Lead us in a joyful celebration! Let’s have fun!” Then they added to the celebration by singing psalms and songs accompanied by cymbals, harps, and lyres. People from all around were selected to lead in the celebration of joy. It was designed to be an unforgettable, enjoyable day.
The dedication consisted of more than fun and games, however. Notice something very important in 12:30: “The priests and the Levites purified themselves; they also purified the people, the gates, and the wall.” We must not overlook the fact that purification came before celebration. In order to enjoy the city upon completion of the wall, their hearts had to be pure. Holiness precedes happiness. Never forget that the first step to a happy countenance is a clean heart.
