A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed. — Proverbs 11:25
Have you ever had someone say something about you that bummed you out? Maybe it was an uninformed criticism or just a negative comment that worked its way back to your ears and kind of ruined your day—for a week or two!
On the other hand, have you ever received an unsolicited praise or thank you that just made your day special? Which one affected you the most? Which one do you remember with a smile?
Years ago, I got word that a fellow believer took sharp exception to a decision I made as a pastor and let others know about it in a negative way. Of course, as is often the case with us mortals, they didn’t contact me first with their complaint and when I heard it I felt that it was not only over the top but uncalled for. My first reaction was . . . well I got a little angry . . . just a little (Haha). But before I could let the sun go down on my anger (Ephesians 4:26) on what I’m sure would have resulted in a snarky response, I received an unexpected phone call from someone to tell me how much they really appreciated a favor I had done for him and what a blessing it was to him and his family. Wow! What a positive attitude adjustment that kept me from doing something stupid.
As I was thinking about those two almost simultaneous events, an old upbeat song written during World War II came to my mind. It was called, “Accentuate the Positive,” and was sung by Bing Crosby and others. It was performed in the style of a sermon, and its message was a reminder to be sure and always focus our attention on the positive things in life rather than the negative, as a key to happiness. The lyrics went like this:
You’ve got to accentuate the positive
Eliminate the negative
Latch on to the affirmative
Don’t mess with Mister In-Between
You’ve got to spread joy up to the maximum
Bring gloom down to the minimum
Have faith or pandemonium
Liable to walk upon the scene
God’s word says it like this, “So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up” (Romans 14:19).
Everyday we have the power to bring out the best in people by sincerely highlighting those things we appreciate about them most. So why not make that positive phone call or send that note today. You’ll make somebody’s day—and Thanksgiving would be the perfect time to do it. — Maranatha!
To help us walk closer with God and to know Him better
