Proverbs 15:15 All the days of the afflicted are evil, But he who is of a merry heart has a continual feast. NKJV
The Pessimist Mug
One of my favorite websites is dedicated to the practice of Socratic irony to expose the silly failings of the corporate encouragement machine and tries to replace it with caring reality. Despair.com makes its money by selling its ironic products and my current favourite is the Pessimist mug where the glass is always half empty and conseuqently it makes everything taste bitter. My wife tells me that she is going to buy me a dozen so’s I have one for every month of the year. I am a Celt! I am not happy unless I have something to worry or be cynical about! What does the woman expect for goodness sake? Sheesh!Consequently then, when I am asked that old worn out adage of “Is this cup half empty or half full?” My reply is always, “Well it depends....” It depends on if I am full or if I am thirsty; it depends on if I have to share it or if it is for my own consumption; it depends on if it’s my cup because if it’s not my cup then I don’t have to make that judgment call; it depends on………and on and on I go.
The truth is that whether the cup is either half empty or half full depends upon my attitude. For me dear friends, without even trying at all, the cup is always half empty. For me dear friends, the light at the end of the tunnel is always on the front of a train coming to run me down. My naturally melancholic disposition is quite damaging you know, and unfortunately attitudes are contagious, mine might even kill you!
Here’s my point for tonight. We need to have a much more positive attitude. I am not talking about not facing reality (despair.com that we will help you do that with a smile) but rather the honest acknowledging of our reality, and the goodness of God toward us, which can then leave us with a much better attitude and that this will bring us life and you never know, others might just catch it!
If everything is tasting bitter in your life at the moment then maybe the way you view that cup, just might have something to do with it? Our text for tonight is saying something both profound and practical. “Get a merry heart, maintain it and feed on it. If you don’t, then you are in great danger of becoming an old misery guts.” So, what should you do tomorrow?
Listen: - Seize life! Eat bread with gusto, Drink wine with a robust heart. Oh yes — God takes pleasure in your pleasure! Dress festively every morning. Don't skimp on colours and scarves. Ecclesiastes 9:7-8 THE MESSAGE:
Pray:- Lord, give me rest tonight, and clothe my soul with lightness and lift my heart with a chosen happiness, in Jesus name I pray, amen!
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