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First of all, why does that matter? I mean, as long as we know that we're in a right relationship with God inside, it shouldn't really matter whether anyone else knows that or not, should it? Well, have you ever been around a Christian with a perpetually negative attitude? I'm not sure there's anything worse than that! I used to know this fellow in another church...in another city...he was no "saint" - let's call him "Pete." He could tell you how much he loved God...loved his church...loved his fellow human beings. And, sadly, I think he believed that, inside, he really felt and meant those things. But nothing I ever saw him do could have convinced me of that! I honestly can't remember a conversation with "Pete" in which he wasn't complaining about something. I saw newcomers to that church literally frightened out the door when "Pete" walked up and demanded that they move from "his" pew! "Pete" could point out the cobwebs in the corners of heaven and would have complained about the service at the eternal banquet! Nothing he ever said or did convinced me that God was in him. Thank heavens he wasn't the first person I ever met at that church! I might not be standing here today...because "Pete" was the poster child for Christian hypocrisy!
That is not what God wants from us. You see, we are here as ambassadors of Christ! Every one of us...just the ordinary people that we are, we have the chance to show Christ to the world through the external attitude we display in our day to day lives.
So let's think about that. How can we make sure that, regardless of external circumstances, our external attitude is one that will show forth Christ to others? Well, just three short verses from the Psalm we read this morning give us the steps to bringing forth a positive external attitude.
For the sake of discussion, we will accept the tradition that this Psalm- this song of praise - was written by a young pre-King David...as he hid in a cave-from his enemies in a military campaign. Despite challenging and frightening circumstances, David chose to praise God. Through David we see that the choice to offer praise instead ofcurses effects not only the individual but everyone else around that person.
From the words of this Psalm, we can learn David's 'three-fold process of praise" which can be used to transform our attitudes...and the attitudes of those around us...regardless of our circumstances.
First, praise begins with the will. Hear again verse 1: "I will bless the Lord at all times; God's praise shall continually be in my mouth." David's attitude here reflects a determination to rejoice regardless of the situation.
Last week, at the end of service, when I was harassing you all a little bit about singing with more enthusiasm, I shouted out the phrase, "Fake it 'til you make it!" Now I want to explain that a bit. I'm not advocating that we behave in a "fakey" way - there's no integrity in that. What that phrase really means is that sometimes we have to exert an effort of the will to do something or behave a certain way BEFORE we totally "feel" like it. Sometimes we have to choose to feel better...choose to be more enthusiastic. ..choose to have a better attitude. If you want a change in attitude, start with a change in behavior.
I've made no secret of the fact that Lorraine and I have had some rough moments in adjusting to life here in St. Louis over the past year. But early on, we developed a sort of code phrase that we would use whenever we were feeling tempted to curse rather than bless some of the circumstances we faced. Whenever something happened or we encountered a challenge that made us want to say, "Why did we come to St. Louis?," instead, we would look at each other and say, "Well...it could have been Fargo!" That was our way of choosing to see a positive even when we felt very negative. Think of it this way: if you can't be thankful for what you receive...be thankful for what you escape! Praise begins with the will.
From there...praise flows to the emotion. Verse 2 of our reading this morning said, "My soul makes its boast in the Lord...." David's praise has moved from his lips to his heart; now he's praising God not only because it's right but also because he feels like it.
As we choose to praise God...as we choose to obey the Scripture 1 Thessalonians 5:18 and "give thanks in all circumstances," we will discover that in a heart filling up with gratitude there will be less and less room for discouragement. There is an old legend that a man found the barn where the devil kept his seeds ready to be sown in the human heart, and finding that the seeds of discouragement were more numerous than any of the others, the man learned that those seeds could be made to grow almost anywhere. When he started to question Satan about it, the old devil reluctantly admitted that there was one place ill which he could never get those discouragement seeds to thrive. "And where is that?" the man asked. Satan sadly replied, "In the heart of a grateful person."
When it comes to being able to see the blessings of God all around us, we need to develop magnetic hearts. If someone were to show us a dish of sand and insist that there were particles of iron in there, we could look for them with our eyes and feel for them with our fingers and never be able to find them. But if we took a magnet and sweep it through the sand, it would use its power of attraction to draw those nearly invisible particles out. A hardened, unthankful heart, like a finger in the sand, cannot detect any mercies or blessings. But a thankful heart can sweep through the day and, just as a magnet finds iron, so that heart will find in every hour some blessing for which to be thankful.
Praise begins with the will and flows to the emotion. From there praise spreads to others! David, the Psalmist, continues: "The humble shall hear [my praise] and be glad. Oh, magnify the Lord with me, And let us exalt God's name together." When one of us chooses to praise God...to display an external attitude of gratitude and optimism, even in the face of difficult circumstances, we then are inviting others to join us in a sort-ofjoy dance that becomes infectious, spreading to others around us and raising up the attitude of the whole group.
Two young women working in a community hospital decided to quit their jobs. They were tired of dealing with ungrateful, complaining patients, back-biting between employees, and an apathetic administration. Just before quitting though, these two women decided to try an experiment. They resolved, just for the fun of it, to bend over backwards for everyone they encountered on their last day of work.
So, no matter how someone looked at them, talked to them, or treated them, they overwhelmed people with encouragement, courtesy and appreciation. Before long, an amazing transformation took place. Patients didn't seem so miserable, staff even smiled at each other, and the administration seemed surprisingly interested in their opinions.
The two women experienced a basic law of nature: for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. The very situations that caused their frustration had, largely, been simply reflections of their own external attitudes!
Scientists know that trees in a forest are connected in their root systems by a mysterious fungus that allows them to share nutrients, water, even the effects of sunlight, with other trees around them. In Christ, we too are connected with one another in a mysterious way that allows the praise and joy of one to flow over into others around them.
Praise...the key to a positive external attitude...begins with the will...flows to the emotions...and spreads to others. We need to realize how much power we have...not only to choose our own attitudes and actions, but to influence the actions and attitudes of others.
St. Francis of Assisi once invited a young monk to join him on a trip to the local village to preach. Honored to be asked and excited to learn from the master, the monk readily accepted.
All day long he and Francis walked through the streets, paths, and alleys caring for and spending time with many people all along the way. At day's end, the two headed back home. Not even once had Francis addressed the gathered crowds, nor had he talked with anyone specifically about the gospel. Instead, his conversation had been quite ordinary, though tinged with words of encouragement and thanksgiving. Greatly disappointed, the young monk said, "I thought we were going into town to preach." Francis responded, "My son, we did preach. We were preaching while we were walking. We were watched by many and our behavior was closely observed. It's of no use to walk anywhere to preach unless we preach everywhere as we walk!"
Every person in this room is a preacher to the extent that you can influence the people around you for Christ. God uses ordinary people to touch and change the lives of others. We can choose to praise the Lord in all circumstances, thereby showing others that there is a better way than the discouraged, defeated way of the world! Sometimes a little becomes much when God is in it: a word, a touch, a look, an attitude...can make all the difference. Choose to trust and obey...choose to praise God always...and, ordinary as you may be, God can transform your life...and use you to transform the lives of others! Amen.
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