MONDAY MEDITATION: Being Positive in a Negative World (September 9, 2019)

Exodus 17:8-13

The ancient Hebrews painted this story with broad strokes of melodrama. When the Israelites, in a battle for their lives, saw Moses on a hill with his arm raised, they were inspired. When he grew tired and lowered his arm, they lost inspiration.

Putting yourself in Moses’ sandals, it is a bit tiring trying to stay positive and motivated, isn’t it? You might raise your arm high, but the gravity of the world pulls it back down. The gravity of failure, anxiety, grief. Or the gravity of violence, prejudice, division. Choose your gravity.

The wisdom of the storytellers was that they made sure two people accompanied Moses: his brother, Aaron, and Hur, possibly a brother-in-law. When their leader felt downward pressure, those two propped him back up.

There are enough people, especially in Twitterland, who encourage us to spiral into the abyss. But who are the ones who encourage us to resist gravity?

Who are the ones who believe the best in people, and don’t celebrate the worst?

Who practice compassion, and don’t make knee-jerk reactions to overblown statements or stereotypes?

Who are turned on by possibilities and potentials, and don’t lounge in pessimism?

Who celebrate the success of others, and don’t grumble with jealousy?

Who embody honesty, and don’t conceal hidden motives or schemes?

Aarons and Hurs aren’t perfect. They are called, though, to move ahead with you positively in the midst of what you may feel is a battle. They remind you there’s more life ahead of you, and for this brief moment in time at least, they’ll accompany you.      

Problems can, and should, weigh us down throughout our lifetime. In the weighing down comes learning, and in the learning comes action.

But your story continues, and there will be times when you will raise your arm high. That’s because you’ve chosen people who’ve been in the battle before. They embody courage and hope that may be contagious. They believe in you, and will raise their arms with you.

7 thoughts on “MONDAY MEDITATION: Being Positive in a Negative World (September 9, 2019)”

  1. People grieve, and staying blissfully encouraged can resemble the negotiating stages of grief. The challenge is to recognize the losses for what they are while moving forward with courage to see a new day. Leaders who can do this for others while processing their own grieving stages are rare. We do need to fly like geese…taking turns, giving our leaders the opportunity to process, rest and heal their own sorrows. How do we vent our lamentations wisely so healing can occur. Maybe OT scriptures can help. Hard to sing on the shores of a new land.

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  2. Good post. We can never have enough encouraging people around us, and we need to encourage others. I think certain people have the gift of encouragement.

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