November 27, 2012 (Tuesday)
In the far-away world of 1919, Buddy DeSylva penned the lyrics of a song entitled, “Look for the Silver Lining.” The phraseology, “silver lining” goes all the way back to John Milton and the 17th Century. When we hear the song, we are reminded that “every cloud has a silver lining,” a statement that has become a proverb for us. The meaning is self-evident; we don’t need anyone to explain it to us. It comes through loud and clear.
Again we quote the Apostle Paul, this time in “The Message Translation: “Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse” (Philippians 4:8 MSG).
Buddy DeSylva summed up Paul’s exhortation with simple words: “Look for the silver lining.” Remember the chorus? “A heart full of joy and gladness will always banish sadness and strife, so always look for the silver lining and try to find the sunny side of life.”
But how does one have “a heart full of joy and gladness?” Glad you asked. Peter tells us, “Though you have not seen him (Jesus), you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy” (1 Peter 1:8 NIV).
You are privileged to “look for the silver lining” today.