“A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit” Proverbs 15:13

Trevor Warner has a fine sense of humour and is a valued teacher at the high school where he works. Apart from his teaching duties he serves as housemaster of a boarding establishment and remembers the time when he got fed up with a group of students who persisted with a terrible din late into the night. Determined to put a stop to their disruptive behaviour Trevor went through to the dormitory and told the young men off in no uncertain terms. But the boys were riled and decided to get back at Trevor. Thus, with their vacation imminent they prepared a poster that they planned to mount in the main corridor of the residence when they left for their homes. The day of their departure arrived and the students executed their plan.

Some days later Trevor was walking through the deserted hostel when he noticed the poster. The moment he read it he knew it had been made for his benefit. It said, “He who growls all day leads a dog’s life!”

Trevor, of course, had a good chuckle at the poster and has left it on the wall to remind future generations of students that grumpy people lead a miserable existence. So don’t growl. “Find satisfaction in (your) … labour” and “banish anxiety from your heart” Ecclesiastes 5:18; 11:10. “Let your heart give you joy” and “accept (your) lot and be happy in (your) work – this is the gift of God” Ecclesiastes 11:9; 5:19. For “I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live” Ecclesiastes 3:12. So be happy and show it. Greet everyone with a cheerful face (cf. Proverbs 15:13). And, in a nutshell, smile – don’t scowl, be happy – don’t growl.