“Life is too sweet to be sour.”
While sitting in the waiting area of the physical therapy facility, a lady I had met earlier came for her regular appointment. All one needs to do when feeling rather tough about their own situation is to look around and they’ll find someone in worse shape. Such is the case with this lady and me. While my ailment is merely the rehabilitation of a knee, hers is due to something amiss with her back. She walks with a walker and must have an assistant with her, helping with a gait belt. When I first met her a week ago, she didn’t say much; her pain was obviously extreme. But today, she was smiling and a little more talkative. I said hello to her and her helper, and she replied, “You look like you’re doing better.” I replied, “There’s no need to complain. I am doing much better, Thank you!” Her reply struck me with gladness, and I told her I would use her statement in today’s THOUGHTS WORTH THINKING. She said, “You are right. Life is too sweet to be sour.”
I’d heard similar statements before, like “life is too short to be hateful,” and “life is always more interesting when you’re happy,” etc. But I’d never heard her statement. It has several implications. First, it implies each person can either sweeten life or make it sour. Second, life is short (Psalm 90:10; James 4:14) so why waste the time?
After several weeks of repeated visits, even the patients get acquainted, while the therapists know us by name as well as we know them. Kidding one another is commonplace, and even expected as we teasingly talk of PT meaning “pure torture” and then speak by name the therapists we believe are gentler, albeit just as thorough and diligent in their work. When called by our respective therapists, we patients tend to speak to one another with encouragement and even admonition like “It only hurts for a little while” and then the therapists and even the reception staff laugh.
It is this lady’s attitude that struck me most. She has every reason to complain about her pain – it’s obvious. But I’ve never heard her complain even a little bit! If she’s in great pain, she just sits very quietly. If she’s feeling a little better, she smiles. But today, she spoke that most remarkable reality, “Life is too sweet to be sour.” It was so true and encouraging I just had to respond affirmatively.
Too many souls apparently enjoy ill health or caustic situations. At least they seldom are sweet and cheerful in their conversational dialog. These are the ones who are always growling about something or someone, whining about situations they either can’t or won’t change, or grumbling because things just aren’t going their way – again! While those of us who enjoy life and desire to see good days (1 Peter 3: 10 – 12) try to help them understand happiness and sweetness, these just can’t seem to even express a pleasantry without ruining it with their complaints. They are so ingrained in this sour attitude, that laughter is more painful for them than their sour attitude!
Solomon wrote, “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.” (Proverbs 17:22) The 126th Psalm speaks of laughter and joy for the great things God has done. The entire theme of Paul’s letter to Philippi is rejoicing. No Christian should ever be so forlorn and morose that he sours on life. First, a Christian belongs to Christ; purchased with the blood of our Lord (1 Peter 1:18 – 21; 1 Corinthians 6:20; 7:23). Do we rejoice in that reality? Second, we are promised the company of God the Father (Hebrews 13:5). Do we rejoice in that reality? Third, all spiritual blessings are in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 1:3). Are we joyfully grateful? When you consider all these things, even in times of tribulation, we should rejoice. Notice Peter’s inspired statement: “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.” (1 Peter 4: 12 – 16) Christians need to realize it is their responsibility to be happy! Life is too sweet to be sour!
One more reason for being sweet instead of sour: Notice how a smile, a kind word, a helping hand, or a small but meaningful gesture of love usually receives a comment similar to “Oh, how sweet!” Why? Because folks appreciate such actions of sweetness! Inspiration tells us, “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another.” (Romans 12:10) Souls need to experience kindness, sweetness, and joy! And from whom better to receive such encouragement than from a faithful Christian who completely understands that life is too sweet to be sour!
The conduct of our lives is extremely influential. Children learn from their parents (or should) the blessings of being sweet, and the punishments for being sour. Unfortunately, many parents never learned from their parents what sweetness has to offer. Therefore, they express sourness in nearly every aspect of their lives as if there is no other attitude for them to possess. Thus, it behooves the Christian to be even more conscious of his/her surroundings and endeavor to be that source of sweetness the world so desperately needs.
On the wall of the PT facility is a large sign that reads, “Be the reason someone smiles today!” I like that statement also! Sadness, pain, and worse, grumbling and hatred are much too sour for my taste, and the taste of most souls I know. Let’s be the reason someone smiles, and remember, life is too sweet to be sour.