Years ago this message was posted on the wall of a prominent department store:

The Value of a Smile

It costs nothing, but creates much.

It enriches those who receive, without impoverishing those who give.

It happens in a flash and the memory of it sometimes lasts forever.

None are so rich they can get along without it, and none so poor but are richer for its benefits.

It creates happiness in the home, fosters good will in a business, and is the countersign of friends.

It is rest to the weary, daylight to the discouraged, sunshine to the sad, and Nature's best antidote for trouble.

Yet it cannot be bought, begged, borrowed, or stolen, for it is something that is no earthly good to anybody till it is given away.

And if in the last-minute rush of the day, the person you encounter is too tired to give you a smile, may we ask you to leave one of yours?

For nobody needs a smile so much as those who have none left to give!

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Automatically translated into German thanks to WorldLingo

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The thoughts of the righteous are right, but the counsels of the wicked are deceitful. - Proverbs 12:5.

The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord. - Proverbs 15:26.

Involvement in evil and wickedness to any degree warps our minds and even our thoughts. In Titus 1:15 we are told, "To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled. They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work." When our thoughts are wrong our actions reveal the true nature of our character. We may say we know God but when every action we take continually reeks of evil the truth of the matter is revealed.

Contrast the thoughts of the evil person with the thoughts of the righteous. As the writer of Proverbs says, "The thoughts of the righteous are right." With right thinking comes right actions and words. Jesus says, "A good man
out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks (Luke 6:45)." Our thoughts often result in actions, which are sometimes good and sometimes bad. However, if our conscience has been corrupted our actions will always be influenced by evil.

To change our pattern of thinking we must begin with the basics. The very most important change that we can make is to receive Jesus as our Savior and be born again because it will radically change everything in our lives(2 Corinthians 5:17). Then we must take advantage of the resources of God found in Christ (Philippians 4:19). To think right we must begin to think about good things and not bad things (Philippians 4:8). And there is nothing more good and excellent than God's Holy Word. Renew your mind through reading, memorizing, and meditating upon God's Word (Romans 12:2).

When your thoughts are right you won't be shooting yourself in the foot anymore.

Psalm 20:1-2

May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble;
May the name of the God of Jacob defend you;
May He send you help from the sanctuary;
And Strngthen you out of Zion.

See also: Psalm 118:5-9 and Psalm 119:143

Mathew 5:12

Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who are before you.

Read also: Joshua 1:7 and Provebs 16:3

Kuziva chivi kwemunhu kunoratidza kuti kuna Mwari.

Kana munhu akatarisa mukatikati memoyo wake, anoziva kuti akatadza. Anoziva kuti akaita zvinhu zvakaipa. Anoziva kuti akakundikana kuita zvimwe zvinhu zvaifanira kunge akaita. Bhabheri rinodaidza izvi kuti chivi. Saka kana munhu akatadza, panotofanira kuve naMwari waanotadzira.

Mwari akapa mimwe mirairo. Mwari anoisa mirairo iyi mumwoyo womunhu. Kutyora mirairo iyi chivi, chinotadzirwa Mwari. Izvi zvinodzidzisawo munhu maererano nokuvepo kwaMwari uyo angatadzirwe.

Bhaibheri rinotiudza kuti Mwari akasika munhu mumufananidzo wake. Naizvozvo, zviri mumunhu kuti atsvake Mwari. Anoshuva kuva nokuwadzana naMwari, Musiki wake.

Verenga Genesis 1:26; Mapisarema 42:1; Mateo 7:7,8; VaRoma 2:15; Jakobo 4:17