Be like a thermostat, not like a thermometer

“Don’t be like a thermometer and just measure the temperature, be like a thermostat and change the temperature.”

As I got dressed this morning I listened to this pastor whom I very much enjoy named Joel Osteen. In the sermon that I listened to this morning he said a line that has stuck with me and this is why I am using it to write about today. He said, “Don’t be like a thermometer and just measure the temperature, be like a thermostat and change the temperature.” This statement had me thinking about how people tend to just go with the flow in any given situation. If it is a so called negative situation they radiate negativity. If it is a situation of the latter then that is what they may radiate. It’s like it needs to be conditioned outwardly for someone to act a certain way. This is the point that Joel was trying to make as he spoke. He said that if one person starts complaining about a situation in life others usually join in with the complaining, they add on with issues to complain about within there lives. If one person complains about there job others join in. If someone starts whining about how the economy is so bad and about how all our political leaders try to screw us, six or seven more people are adding on to that complaining with more negativity. There is so much whining and complaining about why things aren’t the way that they should be. It seems that it is a wide belief that the more one complains about something, the more of a chance they have to get rid of the issue that they are complaining about. I don’t know about you but I don’t believe that it works that way at all.

We get what we are. The things that happen to us are the things that we put all of our thought energy onto. If we sit and simply act like a thermometer, simply measuring what is going on around us then there is no way that things will change for the better. To change things for the better I believe that we have to actually “change”. We have to change the things for the better, not announce the bad. It is already known that things which we don’t like go on. We really don’t need to sit and put those things up front. There are plenty of good things going on too. Why not put those up front. Or better yet why not CHOOSE to simply be of the good and nothing else. Even if we are meant with someone who seems to want to bring us down. If someone comes to us with a rowdy attitude what good does it do for us to add on to that attitude by getting “rowdy” back at that person? Who is it going to serve to be rude to someone who is rude to you? All you are doing is accepting there rudeness and in turn you are taking that negative, rude feeling for yourself. When we do things like that its like we are accepting a gift that will not serve us. The more negativity we accept from others, the more negativity we will have within our own lives. Remember, a rude, negative person isn’t being that way because of you, even if they are aiming all of that negativity at you. It’s all about them and its all in them so why would you even take it on. If you kill them with kindness you and they will be served. Within that kindness they will take on a more positive attitude even if it isn’t shown to you. We really do have more control over what happens in the world then we think we do. So give it a try. If someone is being rude to you, be kind to them. Remember, don’t be the thermometer which just measures the temperature. Be the thermostat which changes the temperature. If you call a restaurant to order some food and the person who answers the phone says in a rude voice, “Just give me your order because I don’t know the answer your damn question. Like I said, I don’t know how much that cost. If you want to know you should look a menu because that is what we have them for. I am not a menu.” Don’t sit there and say, “You are so rude. You don’t speak to people that way and you will not speak to me in that tone. Where is your boss, I am going to get you fired for talking to me like that.” What good is it going to do you if you help in having a job taken from a person who obviously is already having a hard time with something in life? Instead try to be kind to them. Let them know that you apologize for not looking at the menu but you would appreciate it if they did this one thing for you. Say something nice to them. When they take your order and then when they finally do look the item up for you let them know that you really do appreciate them for doing that for you. Let them know that you realize they didn’t have to do that but they did anyway and because they did you are happy. Tell them that they work in a restaurant that serves the best food around. Let them know that you are impressed by how quick they took your order. Just throw all the kindness that you can think of at them and then see what happens. See what may happen from that. They may even offer you a free coupon for a free meal if you offer them kindness. Your kind words may just save them from so much heartache. You never know what someone is going through in there lives, you never know. Kind words go a long way. This world could be healed completely off of kindness. Compassion and kindness are the keys to happiness. You can trust me when I say if you choose to be like a thermostat, your world will go a lot smoother and you will be a lot happier. Kill them with kindness and control the temperature of your situation just like a thermostat would.

Namaste