Recently I read that a person will recognize one’s attitude before they reach them. Within twenty steps of walking by a person, our inside knowing will understand the attitude of the person, whether we know them or not, whether they are talking or not! That is very scary for me! I always try to put my best foot forward, and people recognizing my attitude before I get an opportunity to be always kind, encourages me to check my attitude often!
All of us have every good reason to have bad attitudes. Nothing always goes our way! Nothing always goes right! We are often misread and misrepresented! We have personal struggles that we wish not to share! The family pets do not always get along – the dog is pounced upon by the cat without cause – at least one we have seen! Our spouse is not always in the right frame of mind – in fact, my wife allows “grouchy” to sleep in – she doesn’t wake up grouchy!
But, consider what we are facing daily! Friends and family members die! Friends stop being friendly! People are always seeing my best side as the wrong side! We find differences of major portions in our politics. In our school systems, and, yes, often in our churches! “Why can’t we all just get along?” is a question that seemingly has no answer!
Attitude is not a one-time moment of victory. It is a daily pattern of thinking that translates into a daily pattern of correct living. It matters not whether you have a few years for your future, or many long years left, the rest of our lives begins with today’s thinking.
Thinking is often compared to a train.
The engine of the train is our thinking. The Apostle Paul gave us insight into the practice of proper thinking. He wrote that those things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, or those which are excellent and/or praise-worthy should occupy our thoughts. He promised that God’s peace would accompany such a train!
The thinking train pulls three cars behind it: our emotions, our behaviors, and our consequences. It can easily be recognized that our thoughts will influence our emotions, which in turn influence our behaviors. Our behaviors produce the consequences in our lives, whether they are good consequences or bad ones.
We are in charge of our emotions! On Facebook I read, “When things are bad, remember it won’t always be this way. Take one day at a time! When things are good, remember it won’t always be this way. Enjoy every great moment.” “We need to upgrade our thought patterns. Read new books and meet new people. Make daily changes. We have this whole life to live, so do not spend it in your old box!”
I was driving recently on Virginia Street in Port Lavaca and heard the most vulgarity I have heard since my Army days coming from the car next to me – and my windows were closed! I am certain that the young woman driving was headed for trouble! What I allow to enter my ears, or my eyes determines my emotional state.
Emotions always influences behavior! When a child is going through an emotional crisis, everyone around them will know it because of their behavior. We have often heard and said that it is hurting people who hurt people. At times, I will have an ugly thought race through my brain and I have learned that the quicker I can change that thought the better my day will become. Since I began leading the song services at the church before I was graduated from High School, my first full-time ministerial position was a choir director, I remember many old Gospel songs. The moment I realize negative thoughts are arriving, I begin trying to remember a song of praise that will counter those thoughts. Praising my Lord, for me, will dive out negativity!
Consequences are always the result of our good or bad choices. Our lives move from thoughts to emotions, to behaviors, and then to consequences. It is like the old saying, “Sow a thought, reap an action. Sow an action, reap a habit. Sow a habit, reap a character. Sow a character, reap a destiny.”
A great impact upon Pastor Joane has been her rip to Israel. It was not in seeing the historical sites, visiting special places, or sitting on the Dead Sea waters. The impact was her focus on our Savior. Every time we spend time with our focus on our Lord, our lives will find great and rewarding changes.
“Being positive will never guarantee we will succeed. But, being negative will guarantee we will not!”
