Smile!

Smile, and the whole world smiles with you.

Satchmo Louis Armstrong sang it, and you know it’s true. Smiling is a sure-fire way to improve your communication, but would you know it also works to improve your tone and delivery in telephone conversations? When you turn your lips upwards, it signals to your vocal cords to align with the gesture, and what’s more amazing, you sound genuinely pleased to have the conversation even if you’re nervous in the beginning.

It is true there is something about a forced smile that may give out bad impression like you’re a used car salesman who knows the clunker he is selling will only last through the gate before breaking down, but the person who is receiving your call cannot see the fear in your eyes. They only hear the voice. I am not telling you will become a master telemarketer by smiling (I personally wouldn’t try!) but we all feel a little nervous sometimes having to make those calls to people and companies we are not really familiar with. Smiling with a wide grin as you dial that number could make all the difference.

²⁸ The prospect of the righteous is joy, but the hopes of the wicked come to nothing.  — Proverbs 10:28 (NIV)

As Christians we should be genuine in all that we do. As the Amplified version puts it, ”The hope of the righteous [those of honorable character and integrity] is joy, but the expectation of the wicked [those who oppose God and ignore His wisdom] comes to nothing.” There is nothing disingenuous about wanting to put a good face in basic human communication just as long as we do it out of love. 1 Corinthians 13 speaks of the excellence of love: ”If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love [for others growing out of God’s love for me], then I have become only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal [just an annoying distraction]. …”

Let us fine tune our gongs and cymbals and smile! 🤗

Oh, when you’re smiling, when you’re smiling
The whole world smiles with you, baby
Yes, when you’re laughing, when you’re laughing
Yes, the sun comes shining through

But when you’re crying, you bring on the rain
So, stop your sighing baby and be happy again
Yes, and keep on smiling, keep on smiling
And the whole world smiles with you

God bless you, Dear Reader.