If you lined up 10 people at work and asked them how many are happy to be at work, it might look like a baseball statistic. You would be pleased to get .300 and might be ecstatic to get .400. I don’t know the reason why, but it seems like people lock their happiness and joy in their glove box before they go into the office. And what is even more interesting is how we each just accept that it’s okay for someone to be grouchy at work. We don’t stop and go out of our way to cheer someone up. Instead we see the grumpy person and we either just leave them alone or we let them drag us down with them. It doesn’t have to be that way. We can be the countervailing force against grumpiness and a down-attitude. All it really takes is a commitment to bring some of our joy and happiness to work and become a positive alternative for others. When this becomes too hard to do or even remember to do, then draw on this verse; “Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” As we work so hard to bring our purpose to work remember that always being joyful is part of God’s will for each of us. Today you are going to come in contact with someone who is down on their job, down on others, or just down on life. They are letting you and others know with their words and actions that something is “just not right”. While it is counter-intuitive, they are looking for someone or something to cheer them up. Your extra time, your extra words, your extra ear, your extra smile might be just the antidote to what it is that is bothering them today. Your joy can be contagious and bring an attitude adjustment to your office. And from there you may get a chance to add to the conversation the influences in your life that give you the joy that you have.

Reference: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (New Living Testament)