Last night, I took a phone call from “Gallop Poll” just as dinner was being placed on the table.  (I think it drives my wife nuts, but I usually take those polls.  I find them interesting.)  This poll appeared to focus mostly on my sense of personal well-being: emotional, physical, and just a touch of spiritual.  The pollster basically tried to discern how satisfied I was with life: Workplace, career, family, income, health, social interactions, etc. etc. etc.  Sometimes he asked for concrete demonstrations of my fitness: (“How many days in the last seven did you exercise for at least 30 minutes?”  “How many days in the last seven did you have at least 5 servings of fruits or vegetables?”)  Sometimes the questions were more general: (“Would you say that in general you are satisfied or dissatisfied with your life?”)  The questions did drift into politics a little at the end (How is Pres. Obama handling the situation in Afghanistan?  Was his treatment of General M. (and his staff whose lips went AWOL) fair? etc.)

I had to wonder how most people would answer these questions.  Based on the amount of complaining one hears, you’d have to think that a huge percentage of people are dissatisfied with life.  Or…..is that just how we make small talk now-a-days.    I may struggle through the typical parental irritations on the home-front.  And sure, I’ll make cracks about heat and humidity (“Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow” is my favorite song in say, mid July)  But in general, I’m quite happy with life.

Are you?

Here are some bible passages that come to mind in light of this survey:

Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

Philippians 2:14 Do everything without complaining or arguing,

Hebrews 13:5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

Philippians 4:12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.

Proverbs 24:19 Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of the wicked,

Psalm 37:4 Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: 6 He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.

My father-in-law sends out a devotional email blast.  This is what came today.  I thought he had an interesting take, so I’m sharing it here.

Luke 6: 37-38

“Do not judge, and you will not be judged.  Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned.  Forgive, and you will be forgiven.  Give, and it will be given to you.  A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap.  For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

“Can’t we all just get along?”  How many times have you either heard, thought, or said that?

We live in the day of ‘political correctness’.  Do you know what PC is?  It’s an attempt to structure our verbal responses so that we can all ‘get along’.  However, all it really does is encourage people to ‘bite their tongues.’  It doesn’t mean our hearts are changed.  In reality, we still feel very annoyed, or irritated, at the person we really want to lambast – - but don’t, because of PC.  It seems to me, that much of the time, being politically correct, only results in pent up frustration, which leads to stress, which leads to any number of negative effects.

In the passage above, Jesus, has a much better way of helping us to ‘get along’ with each other.  What are His suggestions?

• Don’t judge
• Don’t condemn
• Forgive
• Give

I see here a logical and wonderful progression.  Judging leads to condemning others.  However, Jesus would have us do something instead.  Instead of piling up judgmental thoughts toward someone which leads us to a condemnatory attitude toward someone, we need to forgiven them!  Then, having forgiven them, we can actually go to second mile and give to them!

I know, I know – - it sounds not only ridiculous – - it sounds impossible.

Yep.  That’s why we always, always need God’s help to live in the manner He would choose for us.

BTW, did you see the blessings associated with these behaviors?  Take a second look at the passage.  There are at least four blessings that God has awaiting us for these godly behaviors.  I don’t know about you, but I’d rather be blessed by God than give room to the irritability I feel when I judge, condemn, and refuse to forgive.