A thousand news worthy things happened in the world today. A hundred personal things happened to each of us today. If the world was asked, “How was your day world?” The world could have selected the hundred really wonderful things that happened and respond, “It was a great day today.” Or it could have selected the hundred really rotten things that happened today and say, “Today was horrible.”
That very same question could be asked of us. And our answer would be based upon which ten things we selected out of the hundred things that occurred. Now it is true some horrific event or some spectacularly great event could have happened today that would totally dominate our answer. But it is a rare day for that to occur. 95% of the time the choice is ours. Whether we had a great day or a rotten day depends on what we decide to think about.
With Jesus in our lives we have additional help in selecting the good things because it is God’s will for us to live the abundant life. The abundant life Jesus promises us is not about our bank account. It is about the joy of loving others and seeing that love produce good things. I have yet to feel bad about doing something unselfish for someone. I always am rewarded by knowing life is better for someone. It can be something as small as a smile or a compliment or a thank you or some word of appreciation. When we validate others our personal stock goes up.
When we do this, we become Jesus-like. He is a validator. He says to us, “You are the kind of person I want to live with forever.” Wow! That is major validation.