Beware the Ides of December. Actually there is no such thing as the Ides of December. I am just taking poetic license with Shakespeare’s line for the soothsayer in Julius Caesar. What I want to beware of today is actually something another British literary great—Charles Dickens—had his character Scrooge say: “Bah, Humbug!”
I woke up this morning with a bad attitude. I wish I could say at this point in my life I woke up every morning saying “Good morning Lord!” The reality is that some days like today—although I don’t say the exact words—my attitude says “Good Lord, it’s morning!” And for some reason, these foul-mood mornings disproportionately land on Sundays. I don’t know about you, but I think I have more untoward thoughts and make more immature, petty comments on the Lord’s day than the other six days of the week.
Unfortunately, I didn’t recognize my foul mood right away. It wasn’t until I had a brief conversation at church where I unloaded my snarky attitude on someone just before they got up to be part of the worship team that I realized my mouth had gotten me into a pickle once again. I left the church right after I made the comment … not because I was mad, but because I was convicted. I did not want my lousy attitude to poison the atmosphere. So I started the half-hour plus drive home and began a running conversation with the Lord. It was very one-sided. I talked a lot—first venting, then repenting for about 20 minutes. The rest of the ride there was silence. About five minutes from home I had this really strong impression—you know, one of those that people more spiritual than I characterize as “the Lord told me…”
The urgent impression I got was to pull over next to a church on the side street I take to my house, and is in fact only a few blocks from my home. It was exactly 10:10 a.m. and the sign by the church said service would start at 10:15 a.m. The moment I followed through and obeyed the impression, my attitude got better. It was like the Grinch’s heart starting to appear. Then, as I made my way up the stairs and opened the door to this little church, I felt peace. I made my way in and by the time the service started, all 15-20 people made their way to me to extend a hand of greeting. The Grinch/Scrooge who was Hum-Bugging along on the Lord’s day, had something wonderful happen. My heart grew about 3 sizes today. And it was just because the Lord knew I needed to see some people who loved Him and had a good attitude in spite of whatever side of the bed they woke up on this morning. Now I don’t know if I’ll ever go back to that church or not, but I thank God for giving me an attitude adjustment today. Like Hebrews 12:10-11 says, the Lord’s discipline may not seem pleasant and the time, but it does two things. It moves us toward righteousness if we’ll let it and it proves we are His child. Hopefully I will think twice the next time I want to be a Hum-Bug.
I woke up this morning with a bad attitude. I wish I could say at this point in my life I woke up every morning saying “Good morning Lord!” The reality is that some days like today—although I don’t say the exact words—my attitude says “Good Lord, it’s morning!” And for some reason, these foul-mood mornings disproportionately land on Sundays. I don’t know about you, but I think I have more untoward thoughts and make more immature, petty comments on the Lord’s day than the other six days of the week.
Unfortunately, I didn’t recognize my foul mood right away. It wasn’t until I had a brief conversation at church where I unloaded my snarky attitude on someone just before they got up to be part of the worship team that I realized my mouth had gotten me into a pickle once again. I left the church right after I made the comment … not because I was mad, but because I was convicted. I did not want my lousy attitude to poison the atmosphere. So I started the half-hour plus drive home and began a running conversation with the Lord. It was very one-sided. I talked a lot—first venting, then repenting for about 20 minutes. The rest of the ride there was silence. About five minutes from home I had this really strong impression—you know, one of those that people more spiritual than I characterize as “the Lord told me…”
The urgent impression I got was to pull over next to a church on the side street I take to my house, and is in fact only a few blocks from my home. It was exactly 10:10 a.m. and the sign by the church said service would start at 10:15 a.m. The moment I followed through and obeyed the impression, my attitude got better. It was like the Grinch’s heart starting to appear. Then, as I made my way up the stairs and opened the door to this little church, I felt peace. I made my way in and by the time the service started, all 15-20 people made their way to me to extend a hand of greeting. The Grinch/Scrooge who was Hum-Bugging along on the Lord’s day, had something wonderful happen. My heart grew about 3 sizes today. And it was just because the Lord knew I needed to see some people who loved Him and had a good attitude in spite of whatever side of the bed they woke up on this morning. Now I don’t know if I’ll ever go back to that church or not, but I thank God for giving me an attitude adjustment today. Like Hebrews 12:10-11 says, the Lord’s discipline may not seem pleasant and the time, but it does two things. It moves us toward righteousness if we’ll let it and it proves we are His child. Hopefully I will think twice the next time I want to be a Hum-Bug.
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