According
to my June 25th morning devotion, "Religious books with a self-help theme
sell better than other kinds of religious books. People who visit the religion
section are looking for the same thing they would look for in the self-help
section: advice. However, Jesus did not preach self-help or how to have
"your best life now." He did not try to fill people with
positive thinking and mantras."
I've
written two 'self-help' books and I think they have a place in today's
lifestyle, however, I know what the author means about ‘not filling people with
positive thinking’. Having said that, thinking
positive reduces stress and limits negative self-talk, so it has its place.
Yet,
I can be guilty of positive thinking when I should be cautioning. The
question I'm asking myself in this blog is how much do I pass it on in the form
of encouragement or building another up, just for something to say. Maybe I
should be finding a way to be forthright in a loving manner.
The
term, "build one another up" is often used in sync with the word
encouragement. “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just
as you are doing” (Thessalonians 5:11). Can building up be honest and
encouragement at the same time? I think so.
When
people asked me how I was after my daughter died, they wanted to hear,
"I'm good. Getting back to normal." If I had responded, as I would
have liked to, I would have probably rendered people helpless.
How
many times do we allow ourselves to be honest? Can ‘building one another up’ or
opening the way for someone to build us up help us consider the difference
between positive thinking, thinking positive, being honest with one another and telling it as it is?
Blessings,
Donna
3 comments:
I wish the world is a little more honest. Kind and honest.
Positive thinking, thinking positive and speaking truth - all have significance. As you show, it's important that we recognize the subtle distinctions between them. Wise and helpful words for life from you, as always. Thanks Donna.~~+~~
Thanks Peter - so often these words get confused with each other without processing them. They seem to be getting a work-out in certain circles, so thought I'd try my hand at it.
Again, thanks for your comments.
D.
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