How many of you today are familiar with the song
Every where you go you always take the weather bye Crowded House
I’d heard this song repeated at work over and over again and asked the question, is this song more than a catchy tune or is there a point the song is trying to make? what’s it saying? I believe it a reference to the impact a individual makes on others. It’s saying this person has an impact. makes a difference. changes the weather the atmosphere. In other words this song is saying your presence has the power to change things.
Think about that for a moment! It is very true; and it can be for the better or worst. What is your presence? It is your attitude. Your presence is your attitude and you better believe it; it has a impact on others.
That then begs the question what kind of impact does your presence bring? Repeat! what kind of impact does my presence bring?
Your presence can have a positive effect on others or it can have a negative impact on others; as Christians Ideally we are impacting positively on others. Others should feel and act better when there around us. Others should feel and act better when there around us. That’s exactly the impact God wants from you.
There is what God says about you and me in Matthew 5:13 Read You! that us. are the salt of the Earth. What does Salt do? Brings out the best in the food; brings out the best flavors of the food.
God’s saying your presence is to bring out the best in others. God not saying by that, we or mankind are good, because all have sinned; and you me and all need the blood of Jesus, what he is saying though is that we are to act in a way that makes it easier for others to respond in a positive way Understanding this will effect every thing you do. Effect every way you act. Phi 2:4 Every one should be looking out not only for his interest but for the interest of other also We should be building up and encouraging others Phi 4:8 read. And now, dear brothers and sisters, let me say one more thing as I close this letter. Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. 9
Practice bringing out the best in other. it simply means serving others; isn’t that what Jesus instruct us to do? Matthew 20: 28 read. For even I, the Son of Man, came here not to be served but to serve others,
Now I will tell you give and example of where some people served and consequently the best was brought out in others. At the last Car wash that the youth were involved in, where they serve by washing Cars for free; some of the people recipients responded by making donation’s buying them drinks and chocolates amazing! as Meredith put it; giving encourages giving. The people couldn’t help themselves. The youth were bring out the best in others. It really works! it does and when you do it you fulfill your obligation to God
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There are many; many ways in every day life that we have the opportunities to bring out the best in others. Here is one
Next time your driving and your in a situation where you both have a claim to a car park or the right of way, try giving up the park or right if it is safe to do so, and see what happens, see what happens. I think you know that they will respond positively, you will get a smile or wave. When I am riding my bike people walk when they should wait, they wouldn’t go if I was a car or truck but generally I don’t try to run them over or give them looks that can kill, instead I try to practice showing them love. they normally respond positively.
But sadly Cars can tend to bring out the worst in us; making it very hard for us then to bring out the best in others. I have just finished read a book titled Tuesdays with Moray. Moray was a dying man who discovered some eternal truths, that he kindly put in a book. He had come to realize he was at his happiest when serving others. Until then he used to give the finger to those who would cut him off or steal his park; only to find all this did was to make things worse. he’d get angry and develop a stinking mood; not much fun; as well as most times lose his park or his place. Coming to see there was no point in reacting the way he did he decide to simple change his finger salute into a friendly wave because that made him feel better. That what God want’s from us; but not just so we will feel better and won’t feel anger, but because we have served the other person and they have responded positively. We have bought the best out in them; Made a difference! impacted! changed the weather as the song puts it.
That is loving your enemy, didn’t Jesus do this? God saying we can’t choose who we treat in a nice way; because we are under obligation to make it easier for all to respond in positive way; didn’t Jesus do this by washing the feet of Judas who then betray him? Jesus didn’t take the attitude off he’s lost so no point of making it easier for him to act rightly; Jesus even honored Judas in the eating of bread at the Last supper; even though Jesus knew it wouldn’t change what he was about to do He still acted in a way that would make it easier for him to change and do what was right if he wanted to; and when you take this attitude you love your enemy; fulfilling Luke 6:35. But love your enemies do good to them.
Doing that is hard work; it mush easier to take the attitude of well if that’s the way you feel or act you can go and jump. It is the much harder option to react in a way that will bring out the best in them. David and I recently played a cricket side that look like they had just been giving a pass out to play. Their captain had a frightening resemblance to chopper reed. I think our side all treaded them nicely so we wouldn’t get punched up; we bought the best out in them. We did cope some flack from those who didn’t play, they said we took the soft option, but the realty is we took the hard option and cope some bad sportsmanship on the chin; which avoided unhelpful conformations we need to be Hard headed and not take offense.
Isn’t that the way God tell us to be? lets read Psalms 119:165 Great peace have they who love your law; what is that law? It’s what Jesus said it is; to love Gods with all your heart and love your fellow man. acting in a way of saying go jump isn’t love, and then it says and nothing shall offend them in other words we are to be hard headed, and not take offense; because it’s when we don’t take offense that we are able to act in a way that brings out the best in others. (Repeat) God doesn’t in this verse even give us the option of taking offense; He say if you love my law nothing shall offend you. there’s a song by Cat Steven in which he says if I can find me a hard headed woman, one who can help me do my best; I know the rest of my life will be blessed. It appears he understood this truth, that serving, in this case being hard headed, bring out the best in others.
You know the best possible impact we can have is that people are lead to God though our presence. This is the best form of evangelism; which God gets the credit for by the way because it is really the life of Jesus in us that people are seeing. REPEAT
Understanding our reasonability will effect every thing, I mean every thing you do. If we don’t fulfill this; we risk the chance of becoming worthless salt that the last part of verse 13 of Matthew 5 speaks about read. but what good is salt if it has lost it’s flavor?
In other words if your presence doesn’t bring out the best in others what the value or point of your my life? Very Serious question.
So as Christians we can’t afford always to have a negative impact on others. We can’t afford things like very time we meet or do stuff together that fights and arguments happen; or to be always running down criticizing judging others. We can’t afford to be wanting our own way all the time and then spitting the dummy if we don’t get.
We must consider how others may react to how and what we say.(repeat)
Parents don’t jump on your Kids when they first get home (that’s me). Kids don’t except your Parents to drop ever thing just for you when you want them to. We must learn to act positively and forgive when some one drops the ball;
I get caught up in this worthless salt attitude from time to time. At times I develop a stinking attitudes because I been hurt or whatever; and instead of forgiving; which by the way is what God tell us to do. Matthew 6:14-15. if you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.
Instead of forgiving I often stew, the weather changes for the worse everywhere I go. People at work notice, other around me notice, my whole home becomes effected. You know what I’m talking about; everyone on edge the situation like a time bomb, conversation hit a all time low. I become worthless salt when like this.
Our attitude should be the same as that of Jesus Phil 2:5 read Your attitude should be the same that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not demand and cling to his rights as God. He made himself nothing;£ he took the humble position of a slave and appeared in human form.. If Jesus fully lives in your life what a difference our home would be, our meetings with others would be; the weather would change for the better.
God has given us a new heart or the invitation for a new heart to make this possible Jeremiah 32:38 They will be my people, and I will be their God. 39And I will give them one heart and mind to worship me forever, for their own good and for the good of all their descendants.
Always seek to improve the atmosphere weather.
End with this question
So what’s the weather like in your life? Let the Son in and the light can’t do anything but shine. lets pray
