http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+2:14-16&version=NIV
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+7:12&version=NIV
I don’t know where my sudden interest with Isaac Newton is coming from? Today I was thinking about another one of Newton’s Laws. “For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.” I know that he applied this law to motion but I am wondering if it applies to people as well?
When I was a boy I would occasionally get into trouble. Someone would call me a name or do something mean to me. So I would respond. I would get mad. And call them names back. Or do something mean back to them. Of course, my dad always found out. How he was able do this, I didn’t know. At that age I really believed that my dad was all-knowing. I don’t know how many times I heard him tell me this but apparently it was quite often since I still remember it. It went something like this: No one can make you mad if you don’t let them. Simple enough. Hard to do. I think that my dad’s advice and Newton’s law have a lot in common.
Most of the time I would have to say that I am in a good mood. I don’t picture myself as one of those angry people who is always looking for something to be offended by. So, here I am, going through life, just minding my own business, having a good day. Somewhere along the line I run into someone who is not having a good day. They are in a bad mood. It could be a co-worker. Or a family member. Or a store clerk. (I’m sorry - customer service representative.) Or another driver. I can tell they are in a bad mood right away. The look on their face. Their language. Their actions. All of a sudden, my mood has changed. To match their mood. Since they are in a bad mood, I am offended by it. Which puts me in a bad mood. Of course, as I come into contact with others, my bad mood has the potential to put them in a bad mood as well! Action, reaction. Not an opposite reaction but a reaction nonetheless. Talk about insanity, this is it!
I guess I never realized how susceptible we are to being influenced by others. People around us are happy, we become happy. People around us are sad, we become sad. People around us are mad, we become mad. This happens quite frequently in marriage. One spouse gets upset about something and soon the other spouse is upset. I thought that, as adults, we were above this. That I was above this. But we’re not. I’m not.
The solution? To paraphrase my dad’s advice I would say that no one else can change our mood for the worse if we don’t let them. Think about this. Isn’t it true? So what if the driver behind us is impatient and laying on the horn? Let them pass and pray for them as they zoom by. So what if a co-worker is in a bad mood? Give them space, be pleasant in return, and say a little prayer for them. So what if a child throws a temper tantrum. Take whatever actions you feel you need to take, say a prayer for them, and move on. The fact is that we don’t have to let others influence us by their bad moods or their negativity. We can continue on in a good mood no matter what is happening around us.
How can we do this? First of all, we have to choose to do this. It is an exercise of our will. This means that it doesn’t happen naturally. It happens when we are intentional about it. Secondly, we need to enlist God’s help. As we live in the Spirit, we are conscious of God’s Presence. As we are conscious of God’s Presence, we are much less affected by the moods of others. Through the Holy Spirit’s help He can help us to respond out-of-kind to others. To respond to insult with blessing. To anger with calmness. To selfishness with love. To evil with good.
Is this easy? No way! Am I an expert at this? Are you kidding! I’m still learning. Chances are you’re probably still learning as well. This Christmas season presents each of us with a wonderful opportunity to get a little more practice under our belt in this area. To deflect the bad moods of others and to possibly even diffuse or change their moods as well. That’s what I want to be - a difference-maker for Christ. In the same way that He made a difference when He walked this earth. After all, isn’t this the theme of Christmas?
Lord, I thank you that I don’t have to be at the mercy of the bad moods of others. I can be completely unaffected by them. If I choose to be. If I allow You to help me. So help me to start off each day in a good mood. To enjoy Your Spirit’s Presence in my life. To maintain it throughout the day. And to help positively influence the moods of the people around me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
When I was a boy I would occasionally get into trouble. Someone would call me a name or do something mean to me. So I would respond. I would get mad. And call them names back. Or do something mean back to them. Of course, my dad always found out. How he was able do this, I didn’t know. At that age I really believed that my dad was all-knowing. I don’t know how many times I heard him tell me this but apparently it was quite often since I still remember it. It went something like this: No one can make you mad if you don’t let them. Simple enough. Hard to do. I think that my dad’s advice and Newton’s law have a lot in common.
Most of the time I would have to say that I am in a good mood. I don’t picture myself as one of those angry people who is always looking for something to be offended by. So, here I am, going through life, just minding my own business, having a good day. Somewhere along the line I run into someone who is not having a good day. They are in a bad mood. It could be a co-worker. Or a family member. Or a store clerk. (I’m sorry - customer service representative.) Or another driver. I can tell they are in a bad mood right away. The look on their face. Their language. Their actions. All of a sudden, my mood has changed. To match their mood. Since they are in a bad mood, I am offended by it. Which puts me in a bad mood. Of course, as I come into contact with others, my bad mood has the potential to put them in a bad mood as well! Action, reaction. Not an opposite reaction but a reaction nonetheless. Talk about insanity, this is it!
I guess I never realized how susceptible we are to being influenced by others. People around us are happy, we become happy. People around us are sad, we become sad. People around us are mad, we become mad. This happens quite frequently in marriage. One spouse gets upset about something and soon the other spouse is upset. I thought that, as adults, we were above this. That I was above this. But we’re not. I’m not.
The solution? To paraphrase my dad’s advice I would say that no one else can change our mood for the worse if we don’t let them. Think about this. Isn’t it true? So what if the driver behind us is impatient and laying on the horn? Let them pass and pray for them as they zoom by. So what if a co-worker is in a bad mood? Give them space, be pleasant in return, and say a little prayer for them. So what if a child throws a temper tantrum. Take whatever actions you feel you need to take, say a prayer for them, and move on. The fact is that we don’t have to let others influence us by their bad moods or their negativity. We can continue on in a good mood no matter what is happening around us.
How can we do this? First of all, we have to choose to do this. It is an exercise of our will. This means that it doesn’t happen naturally. It happens when we are intentional about it. Secondly, we need to enlist God’s help. As we live in the Spirit, we are conscious of God’s Presence. As we are conscious of God’s Presence, we are much less affected by the moods of others. Through the Holy Spirit’s help He can help us to respond out-of-kind to others. To respond to insult with blessing. To anger with calmness. To selfishness with love. To evil with good.
Is this easy? No way! Am I an expert at this? Are you kidding! I’m still learning. Chances are you’re probably still learning as well. This Christmas season presents each of us with a wonderful opportunity to get a little more practice under our belt in this area. To deflect the bad moods of others and to possibly even diffuse or change their moods as well. That’s what I want to be - a difference-maker for Christ. In the same way that He made a difference when He walked this earth. After all, isn’t this the theme of Christmas?
Lord, I thank you that I don’t have to be at the mercy of the bad moods of others. I can be completely unaffected by them. If I choose to be. If I allow You to help me. So help me to start off each day in a good mood. To enjoy Your Spirit’s Presence in my life. To maintain it throughout the day. And to help positively influence the moods of the people around me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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