Several years ago at church the pastor had an example on stage where he stood on a chair and asked one of the elders to stand in front of him on the floor. The pastor then attempted to pull the elder up onto the chair. He wrapped his arms around the elder, under his arms and pulled up. The pastor struggled and strained but as much as he tried with all his body weight and strength he could not pull the elder up onto the chair.
Then the pastor asked the elder to attempt to pull him down off the chair. The elder grabbed a hold of the pastor’s hand and with one quick pull and step forward the pastor came down off the chair. The elder used hardly any energy what-so-ever.
It was a powerful example of how easy it was to be pulled down during good or bad times in our life.
There was a time in my life where I was the one standing on the floor pulling people down. I am ashamed to admit it but to be totally honest this came to light when someone I love dearly made a blanket statement to me of “you are always so critical.” Wow, I can still hear those words ring out in my head. That statement caused me to do some serious self reflection and change.
The statement was correct, I was critical. I truly had the best of intent and that was to help. I didn’t realize that my help was coming across as being critical to the other person. I never wanted to hurt anyone, but sadly I am afraid I did. In my effort to do well, to help someone, I was actually pulling them down. Since being told that almost three years ago, I have done my best to correct that critical way and be more positive. I’ll admit it hasn’t always been easy. I realized that my natural language was a critical one; I now strive to pull people up in a positive way, yes, I still struggle, but each and every day is a day I use to improve.
What I have found in doing so is exactly what the pastor demonstrated on the stage. It is difficult to pull people up. There are people all around continually trying to pull me back down. I have to make a conscience effort to reflect on what they maybe going through in their life, I say a prayer for them, and hope that my small positive seed germinates and maybe one day sprouts in their life.
Maybe you have found this in your life as well, you try to do something positive but you have those around you who point out all the negative sides of what you are doing.
People who see the glass half empty instead of half full. Those who say it is partly cloudy instead of partly sunny. Yes, it is easier to pull people down than to pull them up, to encourage, to support.
Today I challenge you to go all day being positive. Say encouraging things, rather than discouraging things. See the glass half full. Talk positively to yourself. If you catch yourself evening thinking something negative correct yourself out loud and say something positive about the topic you were just negative about.
Can you image what this world would be like if we pulled each other up? Let’s help each other in a positive way today.
You are a good person, share that goodness.
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