The power of , positivity, negativity and the 10 commandments

I have been thinking about about negativity. There is so much of it going around you can almost feel it in the air. Ever walked into a room where there has been tension, particularly in a family? You know the old phrase-you could cut the tension with a knife.

At first inspection, the 10 commandments seem like a list of things we are not supposed to do, however; look at the result of not obeying them. Have you ever been lied to? How did it feel. Have you ever stolen something? How was living with the guilt and the threat of being caught? For children, how did it work out for you if you had a real blow out with a parent or parents?

Look at the positives and turn the commandments around. What if you are an honest, just person? What about being pure, with a pure heart and a clean mind? How much is a good reputation worth to you? Look at what Saint Paul says in the letter to the Philippians "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. There is power in the positive.

There is also awesome power in the negative, but it is power that corrupts. Think about the issue of bullying-this is an issue that is born of negative behavior. Remember the old movie Wall Street? In it the main antagonist Gorden Gekko went around saying "greed is good, greed is good," well where has that philosophy brought us to now in our country? Maybe, just maybe, greed isn't all that great.

It is great is our redeemer Jesus Christ who brought the world a whole new way of looking at issues and dealing with each other. Jesus in his sermon on the mount revolutionized mankind's thinking of how to deal with our God and each other: Happy are the pure of heart, merciful, peacemakers, meek and the rest of the beatitudes, but some of the teaching is just the ten commandments stated in a different way, and once again reiterated by Saint Paul: ²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23, NIV)

Why is there no law against these? It is because whoever is doing them is already living the law, they are right now in the peaceful kingdom or the kingdom of heaven! Need proof?

This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time," declares the LORD. "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest," declares the LORD. "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more." (Jeremiah 31:33-34). This is reiterated in the New testament:This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. (Hebrews 8: 10-11)

I look at myself being who I am, and what I am, and say what if I could really get this to sink in? My life such as it is would change-for the better. I would no longer be mediocre! Wow!

For me, easier said than done, but I will keep trying. Its about 1:00 AM and time for me to throw this into the great Internet ocean. I hope it helps someone.

Until next time, God willing, Big D