Luke 7:31-35
“What can I say about such
men?” Jesus asked. “With what shall I compare them? They are like a group of
children who complain to their friends, ‘You don’t like it if we play “wedding”
and you don’t like it if we play “funeral”!’ For John the Baptist used to go
without food and never took a drop of liquor all his life, and you said, ‘He
must be crazy!’ But I eat my food and drink my wine, and you say, ‘What a
glutton Jesus is! And he drinks! And has the lowest sort of friends!’ But I am
sure you can always justify your inconsistencies.”
Food for thought!
Accentuate
the positive, eliminate the negative, and stop being critical!
“You gotta accentuate the positive; eliminate the negative; latch on to the affirmative; don’t mess with Mr. In-Between!” so sang Johnny Mercer in the mid-1940s. This message is still a good one for us today. And today's gospel reminds us on that. Have you ever gotten up late from bed, only to find the shirt you planned to wear that day is dirty? or there’s no cereal for breakfast? and your brother or house mate beat you to the bathroom? Whether or not the day goes downhill from this point depends on how you feel about what has already happened. Are you angry at yourself for forgetting to set the alarm or for not laundering the shirt the night before? How do you feel toward the person who failed to do the grocery shopping? And what about your brother or roommate who beat you to the bathroom—and seems to be taking his time?
Anger feeds on anger. If your brother is criticized or yelled at for staying too long in the bathroom, he may likely stay even longer, which won’t get you out of the house on time. Refusing to argue with him and using the waiting time to prepare for your day not only keeps peace but maintains your schedule.
Thanksgiving, not complaining, attracts people to you (John M. Templeton). Instead of being critical to others and complaining all the time we can be grateful for the things we have. If not, we will focus on things we don’t have and make ourselves and others miserable. Do you know the story of a little boy who fell off a pier into deep ocean water? Well, an old sailor, heedless of the great danger to himself, dived into the stormy water, struggled with the boy, and finally, exhausted, brought the lad to safety. Two days later, the boy’s mother came with him to the same pier, seeking the sailor who rescued her son. Finding him, she asked, “Are you the one who dived into the water and rescued my son?” “I did,” the sailor replied. The mother then quickly demanded, “Well, where’s his hat?”
One might wonder how a hat could have such importance when a child’s life had been at stake, but the story depicts how many people focus on what’s wrong rather than what’s right. Accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative, and stop being critical as the people in today is Gospel.
John the Baptist came and did not eat like other people or drink wine. And you say, ‘He has a demon in him.’ The Son of Man came eating like other people and drinking wine. And you say, ‘Look at him! He eats too much and drinks too much wine! He is a friend of the tax collectors and “sinners”!’ But wisdom is shown to be right by the things it does.”
“You gotta accentuate the positive; eliminate the negative; latch on to the affirmative; don’t mess with Mr. In-Between!” so sang Johnny Mercer in the mid-1940s. This message is still a good one for us today. And today's gospel reminds us on that. Have you ever gotten up late from bed, only to find the shirt you planned to wear that day is dirty? or there’s no cereal for breakfast? and your brother or house mate beat you to the bathroom? Whether or not the day goes downhill from this point depends on how you feel about what has already happened. Are you angry at yourself for forgetting to set the alarm or for not laundering the shirt the night before? How do you feel toward the person who failed to do the grocery shopping? And what about your brother or roommate who beat you to the bathroom—and seems to be taking his time?
Anger feeds on anger. If your brother is criticized or yelled at for staying too long in the bathroom, he may likely stay even longer, which won’t get you out of the house on time. Refusing to argue with him and using the waiting time to prepare for your day not only keeps peace but maintains your schedule.
Thanksgiving, not complaining, attracts people to you (John M. Templeton). Instead of being critical to others and complaining all the time we can be grateful for the things we have. If not, we will focus on things we don’t have and make ourselves and others miserable. Do you know the story of a little boy who fell off a pier into deep ocean water? Well, an old sailor, heedless of the great danger to himself, dived into the stormy water, struggled with the boy, and finally, exhausted, brought the lad to safety. Two days later, the boy’s mother came with him to the same pier, seeking the sailor who rescued her son. Finding him, she asked, “Are you the one who dived into the water and rescued my son?” “I did,” the sailor replied. The mother then quickly demanded, “Well, where’s his hat?”
One might wonder how a hat could have such importance when a child’s life had been at stake, but the story depicts how many people focus on what’s wrong rather than what’s right. Accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative, and stop being critical as the people in today is Gospel.
John the Baptist came and did not eat like other people or drink wine. And you say, ‘He has a demon in him.’ The Son of Man came eating like other people and drinking wine. And you say, ‘Look at him! He eats too much and drinks too much wine! He is a friend of the tax collectors and “sinners”!’ But wisdom is shown to be right by the things it does.”
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