PASTOR DAVE’S MUSINGS FROM THE HEARTLAND

June 28, 2023

OPTIMISTS

Since March of this year it has been easy to become pessimistic and depressed.  Covid-19 brought our nation to a halt.  The American economy was in free fall.  Protests, demonstrations, and riots were added to the mix.  Members of both political parties are convinced that terrible times lie ahead if the other party wins the elections in the fall.  All around us we would seem to see strife and discord.

Perhaps one of the four service clubs to be found in the United States might provide a perspective to bring us out of our pessimism and despair.  Optimist International traces its beginning to the formation of a club in Buffalo, New York, in 1911.  Impetus for a nationwide movement came with the creation of a club in Indianapolis in May of 1916.  Optimist International came into being on June 19, 1919, with the purpose of developing Optimism as a philosophy of life utilizing the tenets of the Optimist Creed.

The Optimist Creed gives ten guidelines about how one might develop a more optimistic attitude.  Optimists promise themselves:

To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.

To talk health, happiness and prosperity to every person you meet.

To make all your friends feel that there is something in them.

To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.

To think only of the best, to work only for the best and expect only the best.

To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.

To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.

To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile.

To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others.

To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the

presence of trouble.

As I was reading through the list a number of scriptural passages came to mind that either supported or reflected many of the ten suggestions.  In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus tells us to first take the log out of our own eye before trying to remove a speck from our neighbors. (Mat. 7:1-5)  Jesus continues in verse 7 “Ask, and it will given you; search, and you will find; knock and the door will be opened for you.”  He also instructs His followers to love their enemies and pray for those who persecute them. (Mat 5:43)

The importance of thinking positively and optimistically is not something new.  Paul makes this suggestion in his letter to Philippians. “Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these.” (Phil. 4:8)

In his letter to the Romans Paul tells his readers that the way that they can transform their outlook on life is by renewing their minds (Rom 12:2)    In these troubled times one way we can transform our minds is by focusing on the ten suggestions found in The Optimist Creed.  It might be impractical to try to focus on them all at once.  However, we might choose two or three to promise ourselves to put into practice.  When they are mastered, we might pick another two or three on which to work.  We can not always change our circumstances, but we can change our attitude toward them.  We can transform our outlook on life by filling our minds with things that are uplifting, positive, optimistic, and hopeful.

This article was originally published June 28, 2020.