Emmy winning comedian and actor Patton Oswalt recently appeared on the Conan O’Brien show. The discussion inevitably turned to the Emmy speech in which Oswalt honored his late wife, Michelle McNamara.
In the excerpt below, Oswalt speaks of McNamara with effusive praise. He also talks about the meaning of real happiness and it is an extraordinary minute or so. His tribute to her is beautiful and quite moving.
It is also an unexpected insight into the gospel of Jesus. The Bible teaches there is short-lived pleasure, hollow happiness that does not satisfy, and deep, God-infused happiness.
Oswalt’s description of a “flavor of happiness” bereft of calories or nutrition is instructive. For followers of Jesus it serves as a stark reminder not to settle for temporal happiness void of spiritual substance. Instead we are reminded to “taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalm 34:8), that our souls can be satisfied (Psalm 63:5), that God’s presence brings fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11; Jude 24), that He is exceeding joy (Psalm 43:4), and in Christ our joy is filled (John 15:11).
