Friday, May 1, 2009

Be the Thermostat


On one of my many car trips, to and from, I listened tonight to these words (more or less) from Ron Hutchcraft. You can find more information at http://www.hutchcraft.com/

School is getting rough, kids are getting tough, sick of school, tired of adults telling them what to do, tired of listening to directions and complying with it all. I get a bit "overheated" at times. My prayer for today is:
Lord, help me be the Thermostat.

In your family, or in your church, where you work, with your friends. you're either a thermostat or a thermometer. A thermometer simply reflects the temperature. A thermostat sets the temperature.

Too often, we're thermometers, aren't we? If it's hot around us, we get hot. If people are cold, we're cold. If things are stressed, we're stressed. If things are dark, we're discouraged. If things are tough, we're defeated.

But with the God living inside of you, you have the power; you have the responsibility to be the thermostat in your situation.

Grownup people, godly people, make a difference.
People respond to situations, not from the environment around them or the feelings that they're feeling, but from the character inside them - the Lord who's inside them!

Why don't you try being yourself what you want others to be?
Don't wait for them to be that way.
Set the temperature; treat the people around you as you want to be treated and as you want them to treat others.
Keep your commitments, carry your load, spread joy and hope and gentleness and encouragement no matter what everyone else is spreading.

The Lord is with you in great places and in the awful places.
He is with you, which means that you can be the stabilizer, the thermostat, the climate-setter wherever you are, and you will set the temperature where God wants it to be!

5 comments:

Sunshine Mama said...

I like the message...being the thermostat.

Thanks for visiting my blog. I just posted another yellow flower...a dandelion...that one of the kids picked this morning.

Diane Johnson said...

Great analogy. Down to the last month of school it's a good lesson for everyone.

Jennifer @ JenniferDukesLee.com said...

Awesome post, Carol! This really got me thinking today. I hope that I am a thermostat in my daily living. Sometimes, it can be a challenge.

This is a great reminder of the influence we can have on others -- in a positive way.

Love your heart!

Annie said...

This is just beautiful! I never thought of being a thermostat, but I will now! It is so true that we can set the heat in our lives based on what we have in our hearts. And what a wonderful way to be encouraging and supportive to others.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the fun visit tonight and what a great post today! Very true!

Love ya~
Marilyn