A young child is excited about the rain. He puts on his frog hat and goes 'ribbiting' through the puddles. Across town an old grouchy man puts on his hat and grumbles as he goes out in the rain. The two eventually cross paths. The old man comes to realize his grouchy mood and how it is affecting others. 

This a story from a charming children's picture book called Rain! by Linda Ashman and illustrated by Christian Robinson. This book teaches a great lesson in how a smile, or a frown, affects everyone around you. Everywhere the man goes, frowns follow. Everywhere the boy goes, smiles follow.

The good mood vs. bad mood reminded me of how we all need encouragement and uplifting. The Bible teaches us that and provides several powerful examples in the book of Proverbs.

• Proverbs 12:25  An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up.
• Proverbs 15:13  A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.
• Proverbs 15:23  A man finds joy in giving an apt reply -- and how good is a timely word!
• Proverbs 16:24  Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.
• Proverbs 17:22  A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
• Proverbs 18:21  The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

Let's remember to be like the little boy who has a smile and a good attitude no matter the weather. Hebrews 3:12-13 says, "See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.  But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness."