On a recent trip I met a remarkable bellman. He was one of those people who exuded positive energy, and I could feel that energy the minute he stepped on the elevator with me.
As we rode together, he started to tell me about his job and why it was important for him to do it with excellence. He explained that if people didn’t like the service at the hotel, they wouldn’t come back. I could tell he really cared about doing his job well.
He was one of the most upbeat people I’ve ever met, even though his job must have included dealing with crabby customers on a daily basis. He could have just greeted me with a pleasant “hello,” yet he chose to go a step further. He chose to strike up a friendly conversation with me and made my day a little brighter in the process. Positive enthusiasm for life radiated from the smile on his face.
As we exited the elevator, he stepped aside and told me his secret. He said he only allows himself to have 10 bad days a year! He said when one of his days starts to head down a negative path, he stops to decide whether or not he wants to use up one of his bad days. After he thinks it over, he often ends up changing his attitude.
I felt God prompting me to take the conversation one step further, so I explained that I believed God was in charge of all of our good days and bad days.
His face brightened and he enthusiastically agreed with me. I could tell that there was a deeper, more spiritual reason behind his happiness.
This man’s positive approach could work for anyone. Bad situations might not look so bleak if we would only allow ourselves 10 bad days per year. Taking this approach could change our lives. It would force us to reprioritize. And, we would have 355 good days a year!
Scripture: Isaiah 55
Prayer: Lord, I want to go out in joy each day, just like You suggest in Isaiah 55. I want to live my life in the joy of Your salvation. I want to thank you for all You’ve done for me and to choose to live my life in appreciation of Your love. I want to exude Your love so that others may see that You are the reason for the smile on my face and my positive attitude.
No comments:
Post a Comment