A New Point of View

Bible Reading: Acts 16:22-31

Aaron sighed and flopped onto the couch. “This weather is the worst! We

can’t ride bikes or play basketball or even go outside.”

“Hey!” said Dad. “This rain may dampen everything outside, but we don’t have to let it dampen our spirits.”

“But how can we help it?” Aaron asked.

“We just need a new point of view,” said Dad. “We need to change how we look at the situation. I’m sure farmers look at rain differently. It’s been pretty dry lately, and I imagine they’re thanking God for sending rain.”

“Yeah, well, I’m not a farmer,” Aaron mumbled.

“No, but you are a Christian,” said Dad.

Aaron frowned. “So I should just pretend to be happy about everything, even when I’m not?”

Dad shook his head. “That’s not what I meant at all. I’m saying to look for the good in any situation—even bad ones—and see how God is present and working in it. There’s a story in the Bible about two early Christians named Paul and Silas who were beaten and thrown in jail because they followed Jesus. Talk about a bad situation! But instead of moping around, they praised God and sang hymns in their jail cell, and the other people in the prison heard them. They remembered God was good, even in their bad circumstances, and used it as an opportunity to share His love with others.” Dad flopped down on the couch next to Aaron. “So how could you do something similar with the rainy-day situation you’re having today?”

Aaron looked at the rain pouring outside the window. “I guess we do need the rain, so I could thank God for helping things grow.”

“Good!” said Dad. “Anything else?”

Aaron thought about it. “Well, I know Mom’s been really stressed about all the junk piling up in the basement, so maybe I could go clean it up a bit.”

Dad nodded. “I’ll help you. And then we’ll have room to put up the ping-pong table. We’re way overdue for a family tournament, you know.”

“Yeah!” said Aaron. “The last time we played, Mom and Meg blew us away. I’m sure we could beat them today!” He grinned at his dad. “And if not, we can pray for more rain so we can have a rematch tomorrow!” – Mark L. Redmond

How About You?

What do you do when things don’t go your way? Do you mope and pout? Or do you remember that God is good and look for ways to share His love with others? Ask Jesus to help you embrace the kind of attitude Paul and Silas had when they were in jail. By focusing on His goodness, you can turn a bad situation into an opportunity to show others how good He is and what He’s done for you.

Today’s Key Verse:
Acts 16:25 At midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns
to God, and the prisoners were listening.

Today’s Key Thought:

God is always good