A Winning Attitude
Sometimes when I think about sports teams, it makes me think about our families. There are times when a team or someone on the team can't seem to do anything right. They can't hold on to the ball, can't score, can't stop the other team, and are making one penalty after another. It's easy to complain and get upset with them, but what good does that do? The last thing they need is people telling them how badly they're playing. They need coaches who keep showing them how they can turn it around and who keep encouraging them for what they're doing right. They need cheerleaders who keep their spirits up by never changing their tone and always pointing the team toward winning. They need people to help them keep a winning attitude.
So what do we do when we face difficult situations where someone in the family can't seem to get it together? What is our attitude when someone we love seems to never be able to get their life right? The Scripture says, "Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds" (Hebrews 10:24). When you don't know what to do, God says to think about how you can spur them on toward love. That means you have to meditate on it. You don't give up on them and think they can't change. You dwell on what might help them. If you can spur someone on in God's love, good deeds will follow. If you can strengthen them in God's love, their life will become better. Love is powerful! God is saying, "Love them anyway."
It's interesting that Jesus said, "Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you" (Matthew 7:12). He was saying, "Give to them what you would want." That's a good way to keep it all in perspective when you're facing difficult situations with family members. If you decide to tell them how bad they are, that's not going to change a thing. Rather, you need to let them know, "If you get it wrong, it's not going to change my love for you. I will never stop loving you. I'm here for you." If you'll bring this winning tone, you have a better chance of helping them.
If we're going to create the life that we want to live with our family, we have to keep the tone of a winner. We're going to celebrate in the good times, and we're going to keep that winning spirit in the difficult times. I believe that if we will maintain that consistent tone, we're going to have a great life not only for ourselves but for our families!
So what do we do when we face difficult situations where someone in the family can't seem to get it together? What is our attitude when someone we love seems to never be able to get their life right? The Scripture says, "Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds" (Hebrews 10:24). When you don't know what to do, God says to think about how you can spur them on toward love. That means you have to meditate on it. You don't give up on them and think they can't change. You dwell on what might help them. If you can spur someone on in God's love, good deeds will follow. If you can strengthen them in God's love, their life will become better. Love is powerful! God is saying, "Love them anyway."
It's interesting that Jesus said, "Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you" (Matthew 7:12). He was saying, "Give to them what you would want." That's a good way to keep it all in perspective when you're facing difficult situations with family members. If you decide to tell them how bad they are, that's not going to change a thing. Rather, you need to let them know, "If you get it wrong, it's not going to change my love for you. I will never stop loving you. I'm here for you." If you'll bring this winning tone, you have a better chance of helping them.
If we're going to create the life that we want to live with our family, we have to keep the tone of a winner. We're going to celebrate in the good times, and we're going to keep that winning spirit in the difficult times. I believe that if we will maintain that consistent tone, we're going to have a great life not only for ourselves but for our families!