It’s All in How You Look at It

It’s All in How You Look at It

  “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

Philippians 4:8 NIV

    One rainy day a woman overheard someone say, “What miserable weather!” She looked out her office window to see a big fat robin using a nearby puddle of water for a bathtub. He was splashing and fluttering and thoroughly enjoying himself. The woman couldn’t help but think, “Miserable for whom?” In other words, it’s all a matter of perspective.

    Lincoln Steffens, an American investigative journalist, learned that lesson as a young boy. He was watching an artist paint a picture of a muddy river. He told the artist he didn’t like the picture because there was so much “mud” in it. The artist admitted that there was mud in the picture, but what he saw was the beautiful colors and contrasts of light against the dark.

    Steffens later wrote this: “Mud or beauty? Which do we look for as we journey through life? If we look for mud and ugliness, we’ll certainly find them. They’re there. Just as the artist found beauty in the muddy river, because that’s what he was looking for, we will find, in the stream of life, those things that we want to see. To look for the best and see the beautiful is the way to get the best out of life each day.”

    I guess what Lincoln and I are trying to say is what the Bible says, too. What you see is what you get. How we think is what determines our attitude and outlook on life at any given moment. Some people complain because God put thorns on roses, while others praise Him for putting roses on thorns. It’s really all in how you look at it.

Thanks for reading Pastor Dale’s Mid-Week Encouragement. If you’re a regular attender or member of the Mt. Laurel Church of God, please consider reading  Philippians 3:3-14 to get ready to hear God’s message through him this coming Sunday, April 6, 2025.

Called to pray for you, teach you and encourage you in your faith,

^{Pastor Dale}

Pastor Dale (PD) and Pamela his wife are honored to serve the Mt. Laurel Church of God. If this Mid-Week Encouragement has helped you, perhaps it may encourage someone else. Feel free to share this message with anyone you choose. And if you'd like to receive PD's Mid-Week Encouragement, just send an email to (kingdomguy@gmail.com) and I'll accommodate your request.