Why War-Torn Israel is One of the Happiest Nations
Gallup recently released its ranking of the happiest countries. More people probably take notice of People magazine’s annual sexiest man alive, but since the magazine never asks for my photograph, I look for other rankings and lists to read. And here it is: Gallup’s ranking of the happiest countries.
You’d think America would be at the top of the list. After all, we’ve got so much to make us happy: good food (i.e., Tex-Mex), a strong economy, Netflix, and People magazine’s sexist man alive. What’s not to like about living in ‘Merica? Yet, we’re #34 on the list.
The top of the list includes five Scandinavian countries plus Iceland. Interesting. Maybe they’re frozen into a state of happiness. Even more interesting is that Israel is high on the list. It is considered the eighth happiest country. It was even #5 on the list last year. Ponder that. A country facing war and constant conflict with Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and even Iran remains a happy country.
It’s not a state of war that generates happiness. Two other war-torn countries, Ukraine and Lebanon are, respectively, #111 and #145 on the list.
So, what makes Israel different—and happy?
According to Natan Sharansky and Gil Troy, “Despite searing political divisions, Israelis remain united culturally. Cherishing family, community, country, and history shapes their faith in the future.” There are differences, too, but the war has brought people closer together. There is a sense of community and “I’m not in this alone.” And it’s with that sense of community—and the resilience that derives from facing it all together—that happiness can arise.
The same could be said for the church.
Community is a powerful description of the church. The word community has the same root as words like communion and common; it’s the idea behind koinonia, which we usually translate as fellowship. And what do we share in common? A shared faith in Jesus Christ. Paul went to great lengths in Ephesians 2 to underscore the unity we have in Christ—even when we come from vastly different cultures or backgrounds. We can genuinely love each other because of the shared love we have for Christ.
The church does not necessarily face physical war as the nation of Israel does, but we are in a spiritual battle. Satan attacks. The world attacks. Skeptics scoff. Doubts arise. But we stand strong when we stand together. I need you in my “community”—and you need me.
“And let us consider one another in order to provoke love and good works, not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching” (Heb. 10:24-25).
I am not proclaiming that the church is happier than Israel, or even Finland (#1 on Gallup’s list). I’m not going to hijack Disney’s slogan: “The happiest place on earth.” Disney can keep their tag line. The church has something better: joy.
Life is not always happy. Happiness is fickle. Disney may think it’s the happiest place on earth, but my sons still had a meltdown there. But joy resides amid hardship and conflict. We can’t help but be joyful when we think of all the things Christ has done for us—and all that still awaits us in Him. And no war, conflict, or meltdown can change that.
“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:37-39).
Now that makes me happy.
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