When the sun never sets

Tervehdys!

So here we are — even further north than John O’Groats. We’re in Helsinki, capital of the land of the midnight sun.

And I must say, it’s a strange experience to sit in daylight even at midnight. The sun simply hovers on the horizon, refusing to set — as if the day itself is reluctant to end.

Living in the UK, we rarely notice how much our bodies and minds depend on the natural rhythm of the 24-hour solar cycle. But up here, that rhythm unravels. To quote a lovely Finnish saying: “Summer in Finland is when time loses its grip — and the sky never closes.”

Of course, there’s a flipside. In June the sun barely sets, but come December, it barely rises. A few weeks of lingering gloom. Not ideal if you're prone to Seasonal Affective Disorder. Certainly our sparkie Egyptian taxi driver finds it hugely depressing.

This stark light-dark contrast must shape the national character — a leaning toward quietness, solitude, and introspection, matched by an impenetrable language.*

A friend with family here told me that, unlike in England, when you pass someone on a country path, you don’t exchange greetings. No small talk. Just look ahead and walk on.

Mind you, Finns do have a sense of humour. Here are two well-worn Finnish jokes I came across:

Q: How do you know a Finn likes you?

A: He looks at your shoes instead of his own when talking to you.

And:

Two Finns meet in the forest.

They sit in silence for an hour.

One finally says, “Cold today.”

The other replies, “Did we come here to talk or to fish?”

Yet despite the quiet, despite the darkness, despite the reserve — Finland has topped the UN World Happiness Report for seven consecutive years (2018–2024).

Way back in 1968, my economics supervisor recommended a just-published book: The Costs of Economic Growth by E.J. Mishan. Fifty-seven years later, thanks to eBay, I’ve finally got round to reading it. It was a groundbreaking book for its time, arguing that there’s more to life than GDP.

Mishan made a simple point: economic growth brings material benefits — but also unintended social and environmental costs. Or, to quote Paul McCartney from the same era: “Money can't buy me love.”

So was born the field of happiness studies — giving rise to measures like the Human Development Index and the World Happiness Report, both published by the UN.

But how do you measure happiness? It's more than a feeling, and it’s not just individual. We’re social creatures, ‘a part of the main.’ The UN uses seven indicators: trust in society, freedom and safety, generosity, income equality, healthcare, low corruption, and work–life balance.

And by those measures, Finland leads — a land of long nights, quiet joy, and surprising contentment.

Scripture would affirm many of those values. But one essential thing is missing — Jesus. In his Sermon on the Mount, he redefines happiness entirely, beginning each declaration with the word μακάριος (makarios).

Most English translations render it “blessed.” A few say “happy.” But either way, it speaks of a happiness that comes directly from God. Because, to put it bluntly, we won’t find it anywhere else. As C.S. Lewis puts it: “God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing.”

So we follow Jesus — and sometimes uh disregard the UN Happiness Index altogether. Even if that means hardship or suffering.

Another index paints a sobering picture. According to the World Watch List 2025 from Open Doors, around 380 million Christians worldwide are facing high to extreme persecution. That’s about one in seven of us.

And what does Jesus promise?

“Blessed are you when people hate you,

when they exclude you and insult you

and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man.

Rejoice in that day and leap for joy,

because great is your reward in heaven.” (Luke 6:22–23)

Martti Haverinen, pastor at the Lutheran church down the road on Fredrikinkatu 42, recently reflected on where true happiness lies:

“Paholainen haluaa, että sinä ja minä vaihtaisimme Jumalamme ikuisen kirkkauden ja kunnian tämän maailman ohikiitävän kunnian ja nautintojen tähden. Mutta tämä maailma himoineen katoaa, ja siksi Jeesus on kallisarvoisinta, mitä sinä ja me kaikki voimme koskaan omistaa.”

And for those who have let their Finnish slip, here’s Google’s translation:

“The devil wants you and me to exchange the eternal glory and honour of our God for the fleeting glory and pleasures of this world. But this world and its lusts are passing away, and that is why Jesus is the most precious thing you and all of us can ever possess.”

So here we are, under a never-setting sun — reminded that true light and lasting joy are not found in latitude, prosperity, or even peace, but in the LORD who called us blessed, even in the midst of darkness.

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