Play along with for a minute. Let's say that you need a college roommate to split the cost of your new housing arrangement off campus. You share your "Roommate Needed" post on social media and receive several messages of interest. After narrowing down the electronic applications, you decide to set up in person interviews with two individuals. Applicant #1 arrives five minutes early for the interview, has a list of references to provide, and upon further discussion you find that Applicant one has several similar values and characteristics in line with your own. Applicant #1 suggests that whether the roommate possibility works out, or not, the two of you should grab a bite sometime and provides a firm and reassuring handshake. Later that afternoon, you receive a text message from Applicant #2, stating that they will be a few minutes late due to all the slow, stupid drivers that are causing them to be delayed. Disheveled and grumpy upon arrival, Applicant #2 complains about the apartment being on the second floor of the complex and that it really was tough making it up those steps. The analysis continued as Applicant #2 remarks that "there are too many windows (which equals more windows to keep clean)", "the color scheme is a little bright don't you think?", and tops off the meeting with an inquiry about whether their two cats, one dog, and Burmese python would be permitted in the apartment. By the end of this visit, you realize that you have absolutely nothing in common with Applicant #2 and you breathe a sigh of relief when you close the door behind Applicant #2. Which applicant would you choose? Not even a decision to be made I would guess. Ten out of ten times Applicant #1 would be your choice. Wouldn't life be much easier to make decisions and choices if everything was as black and white as the above scenario?
Let's look at the options for our choice regarding life perspective. In my devotion this morning the subject was Paul and how he always saw the good in the bad, and how he turned what on the surface appeared to be a terrible situation into a victory for God. The devotion proceeded to suggest that when Paul was tortured and cast into prison and then shackled to the prison guard, Paul's perspective most likely wasn't that Paul had been cuffed to a prison guard in terrible circumstances, but instead that the prison guard had been chained to Paul so that he could share the Gospel with this prison guard. (Acts 16:26-34) Paul had a choice to make, he could wallow in self-pity and ask God "Why?" or Paul could look at the opportunity to witness to a lost soul that couldn't get away from him, because they had been cuffed together, which was all a part of God's plan and purpose for Paul's life. Which perspective do you tend to adhere to? I hope you do realize it is a choice? You have the option and you get to choose your mind's roommate.
The reality of life is that all lives are going to have good and not so good occurrences and circumstances that exist each day. Even in lives that things are going well in, there are times when not so welcome circumstances take place and we have to make the decision on what our perspective is going to be. In the roommate example above, it was overtly apparent who the right choice would be for a new roommate. The majority of us would not want to invite Negative Nancy to become our new roommate and the uplifting smile and friendly gestures of Applicant #1 definitely made that decision simple. So why would we choose to look at the bad in every situation or circumstance? The opposite is just as available and the cost associated with choosing a positive outlook over a negative perspective is identical. It doesn't cost us a penny more to take the positive outlook on life, and actually it pays dividends to have a positive attitude, because it starts rubbing off on others that you interact with each day.
Paul chose to look at his circumstances and make the best out of the situation God had placed him in at that moment of his life. Today, you have that same option which roommate will you choose? One that complains about everything and can't see the forest for the trees? Or, will you look at every circumstance and ask God what He wants you to accomplish in each situation and at this exact moment in time? "I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 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. I can do all this through him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:11-13
You will choose your soul's roommate each day that you live, choose wisely!
Coach Carter
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