Scripture: Philippians 1

Whoever is happy will make others happy, too.

-- Anne Frank, Marriage Partnership, Vol. 12, no. 3.

The ability to maintain a proper outlook on “things in general” is essential to personal and spiritual vitality.  I am not certain that I know completely how to describe “vitality” but I know it when I see it and I know it when I don’t.  One of the greatest burdens that I feel for the church today is that we learn how to practice a contagious faith.

1.           Extreme Fellowship (1:1-11)

For the early Christians, koinonia was not the frilly "fellowship" of church-sponsored, biweekly bowling parties. It was not tea, cookies, and sophisticated small talk in Fellowship Hall after the sermon. It was an almost unconditional sharing of their lives with the other members of Christ's body. - Ronald J. Sider 

Paul was intensely committed to people.  He was in love with the church that he once hated.  When he was knocked off his horse on the way to Damascus, he was changed and he never reverted to his old self or his former way of thinking.

What happens when God grants the gift of genuine Christian fellowship? Deep, joyful sharing replaces the polite prattle typically exchanged by Christians on Sunday morning. Sisters and brothers begin to discuss the things that really matter to them. They disclose their inner fears, their areas of peculiar temptation, their deepest joys. -- Ronald J. Sider

q      He was thankful for his friendships. (v.3) “I thank my God every time I remember you.”  Remember now these were people that he had deliberately impacted for the sake of the kingdom.  He made a spiritual investment in their lives and he was personally rewarded for that investment.  It brought him a sense of “thankfulness.  People who are willing to invest in the lives of others are ultimately rewarded.  There are disappointments as well because some of our labor with other people does not produce anything lasting.

I have found more joy and support in my life from the people that I have reached out to in order to minister to them in one way or another.  These relationships have become my most enduring relationships.  I believe beyond the shadow of a doubt that a person who will step out of his/her comfort zone in an effort to bring something meaningful and beautiful to the life of another person, will never be a lonely, forgotten person.  The one however who waits to see who will be friendly to them, who will remember or forget their special occasions, the one who counts the days when no one calls, is merely collecting evidence to support a prejudgment that they are somehow wronged and regardless of what is done for that sort of person, it will never be enough and they will forever be teetering on the edge of disappointment with friends, church and life in general.  If you want to be miserable, become this kind of a “record keeper”.

On the other hand, if you want great joy in your life, strive to forget about you and become a blessing to the lives of others.  If you expect to reap the full benefits of faith then give yourself wholly to it.  In terms of your activities and your outlook on life, let the lens become the Word of God and it’s directives to each individual that we are to serve and care for others.

q      They brought joy to his prayer life (v.4) “In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy”  If there is a theme to the book of Philippians it is “joy” or “rejoicing”.  This is spiritual vitality at it’s finest.  And when it has it’s spill over into our own private times with God then this is wonderful.  Have you ever had that experience while talking with God.  You think of someone who has enriched your life and there is a wonderful joy that comes to you as you pray for them.  It is an exhilarating experience.  I trust that you have these spiritual stimulants in your life.  If you don’t then go get them.  They won’t come to you because they are products of God’s faithfulness and your labor for him.

q      They were “partners” (v.5) “. . . because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now . . .”  When you take “extreme steps” to become involved in fellowship with others there are these sorts of rewards.  People recognize the calling in your own life that has touched their own and they are drawn to it.  They share the load – they often become our greatest partners.  The Philippian fellowship supported Paul in his further efforts to each others.  Do you remember the conflict that you ran into when you were children over the term “best friend”?  Every once in a while I remember the childhood friend who could not handle the fact that I had other friends.  They insisted that I prove the “best friend” status by making our own relationship exclusive.  If I was not willing to curtail my activities with other “friends” then they were offended.  Aren’t you glad that this sort of thing doesn’t happen when we “grow up”? 

At any rate – thank the Lord for “partners”.  They help us to preserve our spiritual vitality because the load does not rest on our shoulders alone.  We have help.  Part of the great task that falls on our leadership in this church is to become “leader-makers” or disciplers if you will.  Whatever it is that you are doing in this church, find someone to do it alongside of you.

q      They were “consecrated” friendships (v.5) “. . . being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”  Our relationships need to be “turned over” to God with confidence that He is the one that will keep people because he loves them every bit as much as He loves you.  I can’t imagine how many people fritter away their spiritual energies trying to determine the well being of others.  Ultimately if the God of heaven can redeem a man, he can keep them.  Our burdens for our friends and our loved ones are best left squarely at the feet of Christ.  If we cannot leave them there and concentrate our concerns to motivate us to pray and to keep on expressing love to them then we will become an obstacle to our own prayers.  Our relationships with people that we love can often become strained through our efforts to produce some spiritual response in their lives.  God is able to finish what he starts.  Even when it looks as though people are going in the opposite direction.

q      They were more than superficial relationships (v.7) “It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; . . .”  It natural for some of our relationships to be deeper and richer than others and yet fellowship is never superficial.  It is a connection that we have with people based on what we share in common.  That was the hallmark of the early church.  There is camaraderie that develops among people who share common goals, outlooks and priorities.  It unites them to a greater degree than those who do not share these things.  The closest fellowship there is to be found in the Christian life is the fellowship that exists among those who are shoulder pursuing the mission of the Master.

q      He looked forward to being together with them (v.8)  That’s what I want!  I want to look forward to being with the family.  For the most part I do.  There are some that I have to honestly confess, represent struggles for me.  There are people who pride themselves on being frank and really they are just unkind.  There are people who wants so badly to be “holy” and become judgmental of others in the process.  There are people who forget how to have an ordinary conversation with people in everyday language.  I want to be the kind of person that I look forward to spending time with.  I want to be able to set people at ease and help them to lower their defenses.  I want to be able to relax in my spirit with them and prayerfully expect God to work wonderfully in their lives.  I want to have respect for them and the sense to know that if someone wants my input they will feel free to ask because they know that it will come from love and appreciation.

17th Century Nun’s Prayer

Lord, thou knowest better than I know myself that I am growing older and will some day be old.   Keep me from the fatal habit of thinking I must say something on every subject and on every occasion. Release me from craving to straighten out everybody's affairs. Make me thoughtful but not moody; helpful but not bossy. With my vast store of widsom it seems a pity not to use it all, but Thou knowest Lord, that I want a few friends at the end.

Keep my mind free from the recital of endless details; give me wings to get to the point. Seal my lips on my aches and pains. They are increasing and love of rehearsing them is becoming  sweeter as the years go by. I dare not ask for grace enought to enjoy the tales of other's pains, but help me to endure them with patience. I dare not ask for improved memory, but for a growing humility and a lessening cocksureness when my memory seems to clash with the memories of others. Teach me the glorious lesson that occasionally I may be mistaken.

 Keep me reasonably sweet; I do not want to be a saint - some of them are so hard to live with --but a sour old person is one of the crowning works of the Devil. Give me the ability to see good things in unexpected places and talents in unexpected people. And, give me, O Lord, the grace to tell them so.

 Amen.  

q      He prayed specifically for their spiritual growth (vs. 9-11)  I find that there is something special that happens in me as I hold others before the throne of God.  I think of the times when someone else’s pain or misfortune strikes very close to my own heart and I feel the weight of their burden and a lack of anything tangible that I can do to ease their pain or make that burden lighter.  In these times I realize that the greatest thing that I can do for them is to pray for them.  To pray faithfully for a brother is not the least thing that I can do but the greatest thing.  Look at his prayer:  “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, [10] so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, [11] filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ--to the glory and praise of God.”   Abounding love allows us to live better, to choose what is best.  Law can never bring a man to this place.  Fear can never bring a man to this place.  These two task masters bring a man to the place where he will do the least that is required of him.  2nd milers are in short supply among the ranks of those who are fearful or legalists.  Paul says that abundant love will produce purity and “blameless-ness” and will result in fruitfulness.

2.           Eternally Optimistic (1:12-26)

To be optimistic is a choice.  I remember making that choice at a point in my own life.  I decided that seeing the bad side of things made me miserable and would do the same to others who were around me.  Regardless of how accurate my observations might be, if I could not find a way to see the positive side of the picture, people would never be impacted by my viewpoint anyway.  To be able to see things accurately is one thing, to have sufficient grace and gentleness to help others to see is another thing.

q      He saw the greater picture beyond his own adversity (v.12) “Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel.”  Not only did he see the greater picture, he was enthralled by it and sold out to it.  If life is about me and my own comfort then a “blister” can be a big thing.  It can cause us to retire from the march.  If I truly believe that my presence, my role, my contribution is crucial then I will endure momentary discomfort.

2 Corinthians 4:16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. [17] For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. [18] So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 

The greater my consciousness of the cause the lower my awareness is of my own circumstance.  It is inversely proportional – cause/circumstance.  We can’t just ask God to take away the pain of my circumstance – we need rather to ask him to help us see the magnitude of the mission and what lies at stake if we would live vitally.

q      The reason for his imprisonment served as a witness (v.13) “As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ.”  Why would this be important to Paul?  When people who call themselves Christians are justly punished for their deeds it is a disgrace for the cause of Christ and an indictment on their personal character.  When they are unjustly punished for their faith it is a testimony to the validity of their faith and a public citation recognizing the credibility of their character.

q      Others drew courage from his circumstance (v.14) “Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly.”  It is an amazing thing to see the way that courage expressed is contagious as well.  One person’s courage inspires courage in someone else.

Harold Sherman quite awhile ago, wrote a book entitled How To Turn Failure Into Success.  In it he gives a "Code of Persistence."  If you give up too easily, write this down and read it daily.

 1. I will never give up so long as I know I am right.

 2. I will believe that all things will work out for me if I hang on until the end.

 3. I will be courageous and undismayed in the face of odds.

 4. I will not permit anyone to intimidate me or deter me from my goals.

 5. I will fight to overcome all physical handicaps and setbacks.

 6. I will try again and again and yet again to accomplish what I desire.

 7. I will take new faith and resolution from the knowledge that all successful men and women had to fight defeat and adversity.

 8. I will never surrender to discouragement or despair no matter what seeming obstacles may confront me.

I believe that in every circumstance or trial that we face, the notion of fellowship or sharing what is “common, ordinary, everyday” – the idea of being somehow united with people who share a common worldview and mission provides us with a challenge to represent Christ in that adversity.  We can inspire the best in others by summoning the best within us.

q      Even his enemies inadvertently served the greater cause (vs. 15-17)  “It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.  The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains.” God is sufficiently sovereign to work through most anything in this world.  There are times in my own life when I feel that I have “blown it” relative to my witness to other people.  I am reminded at these times that He is sovereign.  My role is not to deny or to hide my failure or my weakness – to refuse to excuse it or to restrain myself from self-justification.  I can be no more than what I am and when that is all that I insist on being then God can work mightily through my life.

q      He chose to banish the possibility of bitterness (v.18) “But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.  Yes, and I will continue to rejoice,”  Paul had the wonderful ability to remain unspoiled by bitterness in his life when others deliberately tried to cause him difficulty.

q      He saw himself in a “no lose” situation (v.19-26) “for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know!  I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me.”  We are in that same situation today.  To be absent from this world means to be present with Christ if you believe in Him and have received him as your Savior.  Sickness may prematurely rob you of your health and bring you to death but that is not a loss for a child of God.  Paul was “inwardly” persuaded that he would be spared because he was “needed” here.  If I were prescribing an aid to longevity here on planet earth, I would recommend that a person become incredibly “needed” in terms of kingdom work in the here and now.  He may not spare you to fill a pew on Sunday mornings but He might if your life is eternally invested in the lives of people today.  That’s up to you – what you choose to do here for God.  I would simply urge you to do more than take up space.

3.           Externally Focused (1:27-30)

q      Admonished them regardless of the outcome of his imprisonment (v.27) “Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.”

q      Solidarity was crucial to their cause (v. 27b) “Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel” 

Talk about what you believe and you have disunity.  Talk about Who you believe in and you have unity.  -- E. Stanley Jones, Leadership, Vol. 8, no. 3.

Do you know that the message of the gospel is Jesus.  He is the message, the way the truth, the life.  It is not important that men know what you believe about every issue – it is important that men know Jesus and if they do he will tell them everything that they need to know.  When churches preach Christ they can enjoy unity with other churches, when we insist on preaching about our peculiarities and we all have them then we highlight our differences and we surrender our power to impact the world.

q      The testimony of adversity (v.28) “. . . without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved--and that by God.”  We must remember that men are not our enemies, they are our mission.  Regardless of the opposition that we face from people and the criticism that may be leveled against us, we must not fight men. 

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. [11] Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. [12] For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 6

STRENGTH AND COURAGE

It takes strength to be firm.

It takes courage to be gentle.

It takes strength to stand guard.

It takes courage to let down your guard.

It takes strength to conquer.

It takes courage to surrender.

It takes strength to be certain.

It takes courage to have doubt.

It takes strength to fit in.

It takes courage to stand out.

It takes strength to feel a friend's pain.

It takes courage to feel your own pain.

It takes strength to hide feelings.

It takes courage to show them.

It takes strength to endure abuse.

It takes courage to stop it.

It takes strength to stand alone.

It takes courage to lean on another.

It takes strength to love.

It takes courage to be loved.

It takes strength to survive.

It takes courage to live.

Unknown

q      Nothing abnormal about adversity in the Christian life (vs.29-30) “For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him, [30] since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.” 

As a parent I used to listen to the conflicts that my children had and never treated anything too seriously unless there was blood.  I would ask them when one cried out in pain if there was blood.  If there wasn’t then I felt as though it was normal sibling conflict.  I am certain that the writer of Hebrews spoke as a parent does today when he said in the 12th chapter of the book, “Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.  In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.”  Doesn’t sound like a lot of sympathy does it.  You’re probably glad that this guy wasn’t your pastor.  To paraphrase he was saying something like, “Unless you’re bleeding this doesn’t really register as anything serious.????  What do you think?

How can we "demolish" those things that once blew us away? With Christ living out His very life through ours, that's how. By his power we can give ourselves away again and again and again.  And we won't fear the outcome.  We won't even feel slighted when we don't get the same treatment in return. Servants, remember, don't "keep score." Dale Galloway tells a story in "Dream a New Dream" that beautifully illustrates this point.

Little Chad was a shy, quiet young fella.  One day he came home and told his mother, he'd like to make a valentine for everyone in his class.  Her heart sank.  She thought, "I wish he wouldn't do that!" because she had watched the children when they walked home from school.  Her Chad was always behind them.  They laughed and hung on to each other and talked to each other.  But Chad was never included. Nevertheless, she decided she would go along with her son.  So she purchased the paper and glue and crayons.  For three whole weeks, night after night, Chad painstakingly made thirty-five valentines.

Valentine's Day dawned, and Chad was beside himself with excitement!  He carefully stacked them up, put them in a bag, and bolted out the door.  His mom decided to bake him his favorite cookies and serve them up warm and nice with a cool glass of milk when he came home from school.  She just knew he would be disappointed -- maybe that would ease the pain a little.  It hurt her to think that he wouldn't get many valentines -- maybe none at all.

That afternoon she had the cookies and milk on the table. When she heard the children outside she looked out the window. Sure enough here they came, laughing and having the best time. And, as always, there was Chad in the rear.  He walked a little faster than usual.  She fully expected him to burst into tears as soon as he got inside.  His arms were empty, she noticed, and when the door opened she choked back the tears.

"Mommy has some warm cookies and milk for you."

But he hardly heard her words.  He just marched right on by, his face aglow, and all he could say was: "Not a one -- not a one."

Her heart sank.

And then he added, "I didn't forget a one, not a single one!"

So it is when God is in control of the servant's mind.  We realize as never before that life's greatest joy is to give His love away

Additional Material

Just before the beginning of the Sunday service at Saint Bartholomew's on Fifth Avenue, New York City, a man wearing a large hat was discovered sitting in the front row. An usher moved to his pew, leaned in, and discreetly asked him to remove his hat. The man replied that he would not. The head usher was then summoned, made the same request, and received the same answer. About that time the president of the women of the parish arrived and was asked to assist. She had the same dismal result. Finally, with only two minutes remaining before the opening hymn, the senior warden of the parish was summoned. He tiptoed up beside the man and tried to seize the hat, but the man nimbly dodged and there was not time for further attempts.

As the opening hymn began and the procession entered the church, the man stood, removed his hat and did not put it on again.

At the conclusion of the service, the four frustrated people waited for the man at the rear of the church. The senior warden approached him and said, "Sir, about the hat: perhaps you don't understand, but in the Episcopal church men do not wear hats at worship." The man replied, "Oh, but I do understand. I've been an Episcopalian all my life. As a matter of fact, I've been coming to this church regularly for two years and I've never met a soul. But this morning I've met an usher, the head usher, the president of the church women, and the senior warden."

 --James S. Hewett, Illustrations Unlimited (Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc, 1988) pp. 89-90.

Communion is strength; solitude is weakness. Alone, the fine old beech yields to the blast and lies prone on the meadow. In the forest, supporting each other, the trees laugh at the hurricane. The sheep of Jesus flock together. The social element is the genius of Christianity.

n      Charles Haddon Spurgeon, The Quotable Spurgeon, (Wheaton: Harold Shaw Publishers, Inc, 1990)

Alone I cannot serve the Lord effectively, and he will spare no pains to teach me this.  He will bring things to an end, allowing doors to close and leaving me ineffectively knocking my head against a wall until I realize that I need the help of the Body as well as of the Lord.

n      Watchman Nee,  Leadership, Vol. 9, no. 3.

Without doubt, Lewis's creative and theological genius was stimulated by his weekly meetings with the "Inklings," a collection of thinkers and friends who gathered regularly to critique each other's writing and to discuss current events and life in general.

The name of the group was transferred from a defunct Oxford literary society, in which Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien had been members, to a group of friends who gathered in Lewis's rooms at Magdalen College every Thursday night.

Usually present were C.S. Lewis, Warren Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Dr. R.E. Havard, and Charles Williams. Other attenders included Nevill Coghill, Hugo Dyson, Owen Barfield, and Adam Fox.

A focus of the meetings was the reading aloud of works in progress for criticism. Inklings heard and discussed first drafts of Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, Lewis's The Great Divorce, and Warren Lewis's book on Louis XIV. In addition, they read and critiqued their own poetry and that of others. Lively discussions ensued on such topics as education, pain, horror comics, and who was the most important man in various countries. Much disagreement is reported to have occurred, and members sometimes expressed intense dislike for each other's work.

The Inklings began meeting in Lewis's rooms around 1933 and continued that Thursday evening tradition until 1950. Tuesday morning gatherings at the Eagle and Child public house (known as the Bird and Baby) continued until Lewis's death.

n      "C.S. Lewis," Christian History, no. 7.

The search for the perfect church is an illusion.  Appetite by itself is the sepulcher, the death of reason, judgement, and discipline.  Some form of satisfaction doesn't even stand a chance unless one settles down at a place and serves.  The church is a feast, not a taste, a meal, not a nibble.

One sits and serves with the same people week after week, receiving and being received, disappointing and being disappointed, hurting and being hurt, caring and being cared for.  Church people are in it for the long haul, not the short term.  The ordinary is more crucial than the extraordinary.  The glory of church is the routine, not the exceptional.

n      C. John Weborg in The Covenant Companion (Nov.l989). Christianity Today, Vol. 34, no. 1.

There are relationships that we have in life that bring us great joy and others that are not so.  Some are extremely taxing and wearing.  I don’t know of anyone who does not wish that their relationships with others are a source of joy to them.

These people were “partners” with him from the first ‘til now and ongoing.  They shared the load with him and thus he was able to be more vitally connected to his mission. 

Ill. We need help in keeping our beliefs sharp and accurate and intact. We don't trust ourselves-our emotions seduce us  into infidelities.  We know that we are launched on a difficult and a dangerous act of faith, and that there are strong influences intent on diluting or destroying it. We want you to help us: be our pastor, a minister of word and sacrament, in the middle of  this world's life. Minister with word and sacrament to us in all the different parts and stages of our lives- in our work and play, with our children and our parents, at birth and death, in  our celebrations and sorrows, on those days when morning breaks over us in a wash of sunshine, and those other days that are all drizzle: This isn't the only task in the life of faith, but it is your task. We will find someone else to do the other important and essential tasks. This is yours: word and sacrament.

"One more thing: we are going to ordain you to this ministry and we want your vow that you will stick to it. This  is not a temporary job assignment but a way of life that we  need lived out in our community. We know that you are launched on the same difficult belief venture in the same dangerous world as we are. We know that your emotions are as fickle as ours, and that your mind can play the same tricks on you as ours. That is why we are going to ordain you and why we are going to exact a vow from you. We know that there are going to be days and months, maybe even years, when we won't feel like we are believing anything and won't want to hear it from you. And we know that there will be days and weeks and maybe even years when you won't feel like saying it. It doesn't matter. Do it. You are ordained to this ministry, vowed to it. There may be times when we come to you as a committee or delegation and demand that you tell us something else than what we are telling you now. Promise right now that you won't give in to what we demand of you. You are not the minister of our changing desires, or our time-conditioned, understanding of our needs, or our secularized hopes for some-thing better. With these vows of ordination we are lashing you fast to the mast of word and sacrament so that you will be unable to respond to the siren voices. There are a lot of other things to be done in the wrecked world and we are going to be doing at least some of them, but if we don't know the basic terms with which we are working, the foundational realities with which we are dealing-God, kingdom, gospel- we are going to end up living futile, fantasy lives. Your task is to keep telling the basic story, representing the presence of the Spirit, insisting on the priority of God, speaking the biblical words of command and promise and invitation."

That, or something very much like that, is what I understand the church to say to the people whom it ordains to be its pastors.

See the positive

When you worry about your problems, it can give you the feeling that you're doing something about them. And in fact you are. You're making them worse, giving them more power, compounding their negative influence by the force of your own thoughts. Is that really what you want to do?  Think of your biggest problem, your most challenging obstacle. Now, find something positive about it. Envision a way in which you can transform it from a negative to a positive in your life.  Maintaining a positive focus is easy to do. It doesn't cost any money. It simply involves an adjustment in your attitude. It is without question a precursor to success and achievement. So why don't more people do it?  Because staying negative is too comfortable. Worrying and complaining don't oblige you to make any kind of effort.  By contrast, seeing things positively compels you to take action, to take control, to take responsibility. That can be scary. Yet it sure beats the alternative of making your problems worse by worry and inactivity. See the positive and then do something about it, make the effort to make it happen.  That approach will get you anywhere you want to go.

Your mental attitude gives your entire personality a drawing power that attracts the circumstances, things and people you think about most!

Napoleon Hill

EVERYDAY CHOICES 

I woke up early today, excited over all I get to do before the clock strikes midnight.

I have responsibilities to fulfill today.

I am important.

My job is to choose what kind of day I am going to have.

Today, I can complain because the weather is rainy or I can be thankful that the grass is getting watered for free.

Today, I can feel sad that I don't have more money or I can be glad that my finances encourage me to plan purchases wisely and guide me away from waste.

Today, I can grumble about my health or I can rejoice that I am alive.

Today, I can lament over all that my parents didn't give me when I was growing up or I can feel grateful that they allowed me to be born.

Today, I can cry because roses have thorns or I can celebrate that thorns have roses.

Today, I can mourn my lack of friends or I can excitedly embark upon a quest to discover new relationships. 

Today, I can whine because I have to go to work or I can shout for joy because I have a job to do.

Today, I can complain because I have to go to school or I can eagerly open my mind and fill it with rich new tidbits of knowledge.

Today, I can murmur dejectedly because I have to do housework or I can feel honored because the Lord has provided shelter for my mind, body, and soul.

Today stretches ahead of me, waiting to be shaped.

And here I am, the sculptor who gets to do the shaping.

What today will be like is up to me.

I get to choose what kind of day I will have!

Unknown

Submit to pressure from peers and you move down to their level.

Speak up for your own beliefs and you invite them up to your level.

If you move with the crowd, you'll get no further than the crowd.

When 40 million people believe in a dumb idea, it's still a dumb idea.

Simply swimming with the tide leaves you nowhere.

So if you believe in something that's good, honest and bright -- stand up for it.  Maybe your peers will get smart and drift your way.