Isaac Newton’s Third Law of Motion states that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Physicists know this to be true, as do parents, where there is more than one child in the household. Newton’s law is important for the physical sciences, but this principle is much less helpful in interpersonal relations. Imagine how counterproductive it would be if every time a person offered to help someone else, the recipient would run the other way or question the motives of the would-be Good Samaritan.

I recently read that, in the computing world, a company was developing a “contradiction search engine.” This product is designed so that whatever statement you input as data, the Internet will be searched to find examples that will contradict it. Tell the computer that the sky is blue, that it will be sunny today, or that the President is a Christian, and it will find responses that insist just the opposite. It is a feature that appears to be aimed at political commentators and curmudgeons of all persuasions.

The nature of public media today leads us to distrust much of what we read, or at least to question that we are hearing a full, unbiased account of events. The old battle cry of a previous generation–“Question Authority”–has now been expanded to insist that “There is No Authority.” In the days of the apostle Paul, people used to visit the altars and temples of numerous gods, offering sacrifices and hedging their bets by currying favor with a variety of deities. Now people show a tendency to shy away from altars, temples, synagogues and churches of all types, living lives of functional atheism or at least non-engaged spirituality.

Is there a way to counter the spiritual version of Newton’s Third Law of Motion? How do we live lives of Christian witness and positive action without provoking negative, opposite reactions that cause people to avoid church altogether? The surprising answer is that Newton’s Third Law seldom applies when a life of faith is led with humility, integrity and sincerity.

Everyone’s definition of happiness still centers around the same basic goals of peace, health, being in loving relationships, and having a sense of purpose for one’s life. A life in relationship to God, grounded on the grace and hope made real in Jesus Christ, is a life that seeks what is peaceful, life-sustaining, and loving. And despite the “ups” and “downs” that mark everyone’s life journey, an Easterfaith that looks toward a promised horizon promised by God will be a faithful life that has a strong sense of purpose. Where that is present in your life, others will take note–and if they are wise, they will ask you to share your secret. Or they will follow your example as you mention where you attend church or comment that you will be holding them in prayer.

Long ago, Jesus said to Peter and Andrew, “Come, follow me.” He didn’t begin with handing out a study guide or doing an intake exam. It was in the act of following that the fishermen became disciples. Walk your daily life in such a way that others can follow you, and in that act of following, find their way to faith, to a Christian community, and to a life of hope. Start this month. Make the season of Thanksgiving into a spirit season of “Thanksliving.” For something higher than Newton’s Third Law is active in our world. Thanks be to God!

What is happiness? I am struck by how seldom we talk about happiness anymore. The media always has a lot to say about national moods of anger and anxiety, and banner headlines routinely tell us that people are fed up, frustrated, and “fit to be tied”, to use one of my grandmother’s phrases. But when was the last time you read or heard anything positive about happiness?

On the rare occasion that people try to analyze happiness, it usually is defined as something dependent on a few fundamentals: 1) Have your basic needs covered (food, shelter, health and safety). 2) Get enough sleep. 3) Be in relationships that matter to you. 4) Show compassion to others and yourself. 5) Have work or interests that engage you. [Summary from Amy Bloom,NY Times Book Review, Jan. 31, 2010] But once you have given yourself a grade on this checklist, do you feel happy? Or do you end up feeling worse, beating yourself up for not having engaging hobbies, coupled with lousy sleep habits?

One secret of happiness is that it is “other-focused.” Being happy does not result from self-inventories, but rather from being aware of things outside ourselves that make our lives meaningful and put a lilt in our step. This is more than just counting your blessings; it is being able to remember and give thanks for the way that your body and spirit are fed through times of beauty, words of good humor, and opportunities to serve and be served by others. This issue of Reaching Out, with its emphasis on mission, hopefully will spark some interest in deeds that encourage an “attitude for gratitude.”

As one who routinely gets a song stuck in his head, I think that another helpful resource is to have a “happiness mantra”–a word or phrase that we remember when times are tough and which gives us a dose of encouragement. This mantra should be something more than the autosuggestion that “everyday in every day I am getting better and better.” It needs to be more than Norman Vincent Peale’s power of positive thinking; more than Disney’s “Whistle While You Work” or Bobby McFerrin’s “Don’t Worry, Be Happy.”

My recommendation for a phrase that can elicit happiness and inner peace is the opening line from the Westminster Shorter Catechism, which says that the chief end of humanity is to glorify God and to enjoy God forever. Our primary role in life is other-focused, or more specifically, God-directed. Our words, deeds, thoughts and prayers are for glorifying God. But equally as important is that we enjoy God forever–to literally be graced by God with joy and happiness. This is not something we do; rather it is something God does through us and for us. The knowledge of God’s love (revealed in Jesus Christ) and the experience of the Holy Spirit’s providential presence in our daily life leads us to states of joy. It frees us, encourages us, and thereby brings us happiness. This month add that phrase to your “happiness checklist” and see what a difference it can make!