Meandering Monday - Making the Negative Positive - Martin Wiles

Welcome to Meandering Monday, where we take a trip back to an earlier post and enjoy it again. 

Then the people complained and turned against Moses. “What are we going to drink?” they demanded. Exodus 15:24 NLT

I remember little about math beyond the basics, along with a small amount of algebra.

I was once asked to teach a sixth-grade math class. While I knew the material, I was uncomfortable being the instructor. When we arrived at positives and negatives, the kids became confused. Especially when I taught them that two negatives create a positive. Generating a positive from a negative is possible after all.

Moses had quite a few negatives in the bunch he led out of Egypt. When six million people start complaining, one has a problem. We don’t have any water. We don’t have any meat. We’re tired of this manna. Things were better back in Egypt. Who made you the boss? Just a few of the statements Moses dealt with. Moses wasn’t successful in turning all these negatives into a positive, but he made a valiant attempt with God's assistance.

Positives can be formed from negatives. Murmuring occurs when my perception is flawed. I’m not viewing the situation as God does or wants me to. Because of this, a negative spirit takes over, and I complain about my circumstances or a particular person. The Israelites didn’t see what God was doing.

Understanding people and circumstances can cut down on my negativism. Moses knew the people he led were a stubborn lot. I—like everyone else—am a product of my childhood experiences. If I grew up around murmuring, I’m likely to follow suit.

Being around others who have a complaining spirit is contagious. Multiplying two negatives makes a positive—so does multiplying two positives. When I love and encourage those who are negative, the chances of them altering their attitudes increases. Dealing with negative people requires God’s wisdom. Only he can change their heart, but my positivism will go a long way in influencing them toward the same end.

Are you allowing someone else’s negative spirit to affect your positive outlook on life?

Prayer: Father, make us the bright light of encouragement to those who suffer from a negative attitude.

Tweetable: How can you turn negatives into positives? 

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