BY BRUCE GREEN
RELIGION —
We recently had new flooring installed in our house. It wasn’t a choice but a necessity. Our washing machine expired and as a parting gift left us with a couple of inches of water throughout much of the house, ruining the flooring. We decided to go with a lighter colored flooring (Okay, Janice picked out the flooring and I went along with it because I have the good sense to trust her taste and judgment.).
The new floor is down now, and the difference is more noticeable than I thought it would be. The previous flooring was darker — more than I had realized, because now when I walk into the house I’m struck not only by the brighter look, but also by how it brightens everything else in the house. It’s as if the interior of our house has been transformed from a listless fall day to radiant springtime.
This caused me to think about how our attitude is like flooring of a house. It sets the tone for how we look at everything else in life. If we adopt a negative attitude, it darkens whatever we think about. But it we choose to look on the sunny side, it brings brightness to all things.
I’m not talking about toxic positivity but the optimism that faith brings — the confidence that comes from believing that God is ultimately in control of things rather than us. This means that though there will be disappointments, difficulties and even darkness at times — none of these has to be the final word unless we gloom and doom our way into making them that. After all, the worst event in human history, the crucifixion of Christ, was followed by His glorious resurrection and this pattern is promised to disciples (2 Timothy 2:11ff). That being so, it takes the starch out of the darkness and brightens everything.
Jesus said He is the light of the world (John 8:12), so if we’re following Him, it means we’re living in the light. It means the presence of Christ in our lives has brightened everything. We don’t have to walk around as one person said, “Smiling like we’ve slept with a clothes hanger in our mouth,” but we can and should reflect the light of our Lord in our words, deeds and attitude.
There’s nothing that beats living in the light.
You can find more of Green’s writings at his website: a-taste-of-grace-with-bruce-green.com.