Staying Positive in a Negative World

Some days are easier than others to be upbeat. Some days it seems everything goes wrong. Some days it seems everything goes right. Today is one of those in-between days....nothing is wrong per se, and yet, the old habit of thinking negatively keeps trying to kick in. That's when I know it's time to replay the whole day and focus on my gratitude list.

I spent the morning with my dear friends, Joe and Jenny and their precious daughter, Molly. Jenny and I stayed up late last night, catching up. I treasure every memory with J & J. They are just wonderful people with whom I wish I could share the whole world! I think everyone should know them because they are just that neat-o! They make me laugh, belly laugh. Everyone should have a couple like Joe and Jenny in their lives.

I left Tulsa and got on the road. My thoughts once again turned to this epiphany...ya know...this whole Grand Unifying Element thing...the key or law which ties all the forces of the universe together and makes sense of everything. Some people are calling it the Law of Attraction, a natural law which works in the same way the law of gravity and the laws of thermo-dynamics work. It's a force which just exists because God created it that way. We don't get to choose whether we accept gravity or not. It simply is...and we get to deal with its effects on our lives. Just as truth exists whether I acknowledge it or not, some laws in the universe may exist and I just haven't figured them out yet.

If you haven't seen "The Secret" yet, I recommend it. You don't have to believe everything someone tells you, but if there is even a grain of truth in what someone says, it might be worth hearing. I was thinking about Old Balaam from the Bible. The story goes that he was paid to prophesy (speak against) the people of God. On his way to a meeting with the enemies, ostensibly to deliver his speech about how God would bring down the children of Israel, his donkey balks at a bridge and refuses to take one step further. Old Balaam tries to coax the donkey. Nothin' doin'. He berates the donkey. He yells, he pulls, he tries to drag the donkey. It won't budge. Finally, Balaam gets so irate over his donkey's obstinacy, that he begins beating the poor beast. As he is flailing the creature, the donkey turns its head and says, in a human voice, "Why are you beating me? Haven't I served you all these years, faithfully? Don't you see there is an angel of death on the road ahead who means to strike you down if you continue in your foolish journey." And Balaam's eyes are opened and he sees an angel with a flaming sword, ready to kill him should he take another step forward on his mission to speak against the people of God.

We laugh about it, saying things like, "well, if God can speak through an ass, I suppose he could use anyone." But how often do we refuse to even consider a truth someone is offering us because it doesn't come packaged the way we think it should? That person is a kook. Or she's a metaphysicist or a "cult" member. Or he's from some other church or another religion so what he or she has to say is automatically considered "bunk". There couldn't possibly be any validity to what they are saying because they don't have "whole truth" like I do...

What pride! What arrogance has been mine! Should I deny truth just because it doesn't fit into my preconceived concept of what truth should look like? If it is truth, then it is valid regardless of whether or not I believe it or accept it. Didn't Christ die for the WHOLE world, whether or not they accept that as truth?

Ah, but back to the Law of Attraction. Theorists say that the Law of Attraction, simply put, is that like things attract like things. Happy people attract other happy people. Rich people are drawn to other rich people. "Misery loves company", right? It also says that what we focus on is what we "create" in the universe or what we attract into our lives.

I think I prefer to call it the Law of Gardening. What is so fascinating to me is this whole seedtime and harvest thing. If I plant an apple seed, tend it, cultivate it, weed it, water it, etc. I know that at the proper time it will come out of its dormant stage and grow a small apple tree. If I want tomatoes, I plant tomato seeds, right? DUH! Well, if I want good things in my life...say, good friendships, good relationships, healthy finances, whatever...I know that I have to plant the right kinds of seeds. If I have rejected myself and others, I am not planting the kinds of seeds which will produce an abundant harvest of friendships.

I keep thinking of this old saying from the book of Galatians which says, "Do not be deceived. God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to the sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people..." Isn't that powerful? Some people call this Karma, the basic principle- what we do to others will be done to us. What goes around comes around. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. You poke someone's eye out, someone will poke your eye out. That's a powerful statement, but Jesus turned that statement and put a different spin on it. He said, "Do to others what you want other people to do to you." Treat other people the way you want to be treated. We call it the Golden Rule. I learned this as a little girl, but when was the last time I thought about it? Really thought about it?

Hmmmm. So what kind of fruit do I want in my life? There is another quote which says, "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,faithfulness, gentleness,and self-control. Against such things there is no law." Oh, I like that. Now, if I understand this correctly, when I begin to plant little seeds of kindness in the lives of others, someday I will reap my own harvest of kindness. Maybe it's not that complicated after all. A smile in the elevator, a genuine compliment to one of my co-worker's, voicing my appreciation of others, a refusal to participate into office gossip, choosing to be a faithful friend and colleague, giving up my seat on the bus for that woman who looks worn out, opening the door for the person who is obviously laboring under a cumbersome burden...

Jesus said, "Blessed are the merciful for they shall receive mercy." He obviously believed in this sowing/reaping thing. This is just one of those natural laws which God created when he set the universe into motion...and my words come under the authority of that law.

So much more to meditate on, but will save some of it for tomorrow. I pray peace which transcends human understanding to guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus.