Love is simple. It starts from your head to your heart. Yet, we all live a broken and dark world where there is more hate than love. Love is the light of this world. Love isn’t a matter of choosing which exit to get off at or where the road starts. You don’t have to be book smart or even street smart to love one another. Simply and solely find the joy life offers.

As humans we are born into a world full of hidden gems and wild adventures. To some it depends if you're willing to just go and let things happen in life. Others are so timid to what the world has in store that they never leave their comfort zones. If you never leave your comfort zone you’ll never grow.

I was reading a devotional one day and stumbled across Jean Vanier’s definition of love, it says “to reveal the beauty of another person to themselves.”

This definition is unlike all the others I’ve ever heard. Its entirely different even then the Bible’s definition of love in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (NIV).

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

To really reveal the beauty of another person to himself requires your own self to be content in joy. To be content in joy means more than a feeling of great pleasure and happiness. It stands for Jesus first, Others second and Yourself last.

To be content in joy requires the ability to be so selfless as to be steadfast. But to be strong as you are gentle and to have patience in all things. That there may be a clear focus of your heart that whatever is done in love is done well. Keep careful thought of the heart and mind while speaking a little slower and listening a little faster. Considering life with a perspective of, its all pure joy is completely different than looking at it as just happiness.
Happy people have world-torn souls that keep fighting. They are people who carry anxious hearts full of worries, doubt and confusion. They are people who aren’t ready for the next fight because they haven’t yet laid down the most recent fight to the Lord. They have yet to let go of the grown up they think they are. When in reality it all goes back to the beginning of that childlike faith we all start off with. Take it back to when you were young and free just running through the fields without a care in the world because everyday was to be joyful.

Joyous people are people who rejoice and find the pure bliss of this life. To be joyful is to be in good spirits which means no more anxious or weary hearts. Nor troubled or doubt filled minds it's simply to be so content that life itself is nothing but joy in it and of itself.

Happiness is an outward expression caused from earthly experiences and material objects. Joy is an inward expression of peace and contentment caused from spiritual experiences, caring for others, gratitude and thankfulness.

Isn’t that what we ought to do, seek peace first within ourselves to then pour out onto others. Forget the fact of whether you believe in a God or not. Focus on the fact that this society we all live in is so consumed of ourselves that we forget what “joy” and “peace” really mean within a human. Don’t find happiness in having the most expensive car or house or best looking kids or best shape your body is in. Forget the labels this sick selfish society puts on us all of how to live, what to wear or even what to eat and look like. Love isn’t something abound in labels and neither is joy. Joy and love go hand in hand with one another, they are both rooted from the same thing. Your heart.

While labels and happiness is all in your head. They are all outward expressions based off of society. Instead of having your head run wild of these labels and fake happiness. Try having your heart be free with joy and peace. There’s a freedom we find when all we do is seek joy.

Refer back to the beginning of this blog, joy means: Jesus first, Others second and Yourself last.

Rather than being self absorbed about your weight or hairstyle or having the best of things. Be so consumed with being selfless for once that it's actually contagious. For others to see good works coming out of you for once that aren’t even for you but rather someone else. There is a joy and a gratitude you receive from using what you’ve got to bless others. Extend your gracious human hearts. See things a little clearer. Instead of being lost in labels realize your found in joy. Seek all things abound in love. Lean not on your own understanding. Keeping an everlasting joy will bring contentment to your heart.

Go out and bring back the joy to the world during this joyous holiday season.

Much love to all you joyful ones.