You Know You Should Be Glad!

Glad. 

It’s a funny word.  In a way, it’s synonymous with happy and cheerful, especially if you just seem to be full of joy by nature. 

But have you ever said, “I’d be glad to do that for you”—and not really meant it.  Perhaps you were put in a position where you didn’t feel comfortable with a contrary answer. 

Have you heard the term “glad-handed?”  To be glad-handed is to be greeted with enthusiasm, but likely with false sincerity.  Odd—how does that little word change over to be something that means insincerity?  I’ve recently been dealing with car salesmen and mortgage bankers—both are professions that practice some glad-handing, but they must do so to make sales.

So the state of gladsomeness is fickle—that’s one conclusion anyway.  Making sales, making a living, making a good impression—all things that we are made to do to survive.  Especially these days with the economy teetering on the edge, more and more people are learning the art of glad-handing. 

Fifty years ago today, The Beetles debuted their song, “She Loves You.”  Along with nearly thirty yeah, yeah, yeahs, glad is also in the lyrics multiple times.  Specifically, they repeat, “You know you should be glad” six times.  And it’s true.  You should be glad.  Everyone wants to be happy, joyful, glad, cheerful—but you can’t be glad all of the time.

There is death, heartache, depression, unemployment, debt, political strife…lots of reasons that you could justify not being glad. 

But what about grace?  Grace is unmerited favor—the grace of God that is. God does good for us even though we don’t deserve it.  We are saved by grace.  Grace is a gift from God.  There are many Bible verses about grace—it is never late, but grace is seldom early (to paraphrase 2 Corinthians 12:9-10).  

So, yeah, yeah, yeah; you should be glad.  The grace of God will protect you in due time, in the right time.  That doesn’t mean you won’t experience the death of a loved one, or that you won’t lose your job, or any of a multitude of glad-steeling tragedies.  But take heart; God will bring you out of it by his grace. 

I’m probably not explaining it just right—after all I’m not a trained theologian—just an average Christian.  But I am gladdened by the knowledge that God is the answer to the question, why me?  God allows us to walk through the dark places at times, but if you remember to look toward the light, he will bring you back out to where you can be glad in the glory of God.  Believe in God; allow Him into your heart, and he will gladden it. 

Be glad.

Don’t be sad

Gladly walk among the gladiolus

Fearless as an Everglades gator and his fellows;

Be mighty like a gladiator

Gladdened by grace from the one and only generator

God, the Father, Yahweh,

Yeah, yeah, yeah!  I'd be glad to do it His way!