Cheerful Thoughts

Thought for Today
 "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

Cheerful Thoughts

By Rocky Henriques

 It was only a glad "Good morning!"
As she passed along the way,
But it spread the morning's glory
Over the living day.
--Unknown
 The little poem above reminds us that sometimes we can have a tremendous impact on the lives of others as we intersect with them. It may be only for a moment, or for an extended period of time. But we can reflect Christ onto them, and perhaps make a difference in their lives.
 A few years ago, I stopped on the way home from work to purchase gasoline for my car. The place I stopped had the lowest prices around, and it was between five and six o'clock in the evening - so it was busy! I pumped the gas into my car, then headed inside to pay with cash. Apparently the clerk was new, and the equipment was not functioning properly. She was becoming more and more flustered, and the customers waiting there were becoming more and more impatient and short-tempered. And of course, the situation was only making the clerk more and more nervous, leading to more mistakes, leading to... well, you get the picture.
 My turn came, and I stepped up to the counter. With all the other customers standing around, and the air thick with tension, I said "Ma'am," in such a way as to get her attention. She looked up and me, and I made eye contact. I said in a voice which I intended to be soothing while being heard by everyone else, "It's okay. You're doing fine."
 That's all I said, but her demeanor changed immediately. Her shoulders slumped in relief, she took a deep breath, and you could almost feel the tension leaving the room. Saying that out loud seemed to make all the customers realize that she was doing the very best she could do, that it wasn't her fault that the equipment wasn't working properly. She was able to complete the transaction, and she moved on to the next person, this time with more confidence and authority. All it took was one person who spoke the right words at the right time to defuse the situation and transform it.
 But it doesn't have to be a situation like the one I've just described. It could be a lonely old man who just wants human contact, even if it is just a smile. Have you ever thanked the policeman who stopped you for speeding? Have you done something lately for a perfect stranger just because you are a follower of Christ? As we move through our days, let us determine that we are going to be "reflective ambassadors" for the One who died for us, and who lives inside us to this very day-the One who is one day returning to take us home. And let us determine that we are going to make a difference in the lives of other people while we're here. 

Have a Blessed Wednesday,
Richard