Perspective

How cool would it be if we could reprogram our human minds to focus on the 99 times people do something good, rather than the one time they do something bad?  The 99 things they've said right, rather than the one thing they said wrong?  Their 99 success rather than their one failure?  I feel like almost all of us tend to focus on the smallest negative rather than the countless positives -- myself totally included.  Why do I get so mad at my parents for the one thing they do/say that I don't like, when 99% of the time I do like the things they do/say?

I think that as followers of Christ, we are subjected to this even more than others because people are looking for us to make a mistake -- waiting for us to mess up.  When I think about this, I see it as a challenge.  Obviously, no one is perfect.  The only perfect man to walk this earth was Jesus Christ.  But the closer I grow to the Lord, I think this challenge to be more Christ-like will become easier and easier.  I feel like I should clear up that I do mess up much more than 1% of the time -- that was not at all what I was trying to say.  What I am trying to say is that as a follower Christ, I/we must be that much more careful of the things we do and say.

My best friend Morgan and I joke a lot about how we feel like God is just sitting up in heaven laughing at us sometimes, but I really think this is true.  Obviously, the Lord is not laughing in a scolding or judging way, but in a loving Father-child way -- watching His children do silly things and laughing at how silly they can be.  When I realize a few hours later or a few days later how silly I've been, I can totally see the situation from the Lord's perspective and I can laugh at myself.  The way the Father communicates with us is so unique and so fascinating to me.