Saturdy, August 22

Today’s Readings: Psalm 24; 2 Samuel 24:1-2, (3-9) 10-25; Mark 12:12-17; Acts 28:11-22; Psalm 103

There are lots of different approaches people take toward life. Some of those approaches are obvious, and some are carefully nuanced. I learned from an early age that while there are lots of variations on themes, most folks line up in one of two camps. To use an old cliché, there are those folks who look at a glass half-filled and see it as half-empty; and then there are those who look at the same glass and see it as being half-full. So what accounts for why people look at exactly the same situation and come to totally different conclusions? Lot of things. One of the most important influences is one’s attitude. When I taught at the juvenile detention center, for instance, some kids would see their brush with the law as an important wake up call. These kids would often turn their life around almost immediately. Others saw their incarceration as the beginning of the end – figuring that since they now had a police record their future was bleak so they might as well give up. It was amazing how accurate the offenders’ predictions were when it came to their own futures! Paul’s words in today’s passage from Acts reminded me of the importance of one’s attitude. In looking at the challenges around him, Paul could have easily come to a “the glass is half empty” conclusion by figuring, “What’s the point? They’re just going to hem me and my ministry in no matter what I do.” He didn’t. Instead, he characterized all of the limitations around him as things that made him “a hostage here for hope” (Acts 28:20 from The Message). What an amazing phrase! This makes me wonder about your approach toward life. Do you tend to be (to use the language from Winnie the Pooh) an Eeyore person who constantly focuses on the negative; or are you a Paul person who can make the most out of whatever frustrations surround you? The answer to that question won’t be determined by the external events of your life; it’ll be determined within your head and heart. Til next time…