I know what you are thinking.
Be nice?
Be nice?
That’s your advice?
Yes!
That is my advice.
It seems like simple common sense.
“Be nice.”
But often we are not nice…
Maybe the cashier at the grocery store made a mistake. You get annoyed, you get rude. Maybe you even make a rude comment like – How hard is it to push buttons? – Maybe someone cuts you off in traffic and a string of curse words flow from your lips. Maybe you even flip them off. Maybe you start chasing them through traffic – Road Rage Anyone?
It’s not always easy. It’s a choice. There is a moment when you are about to react.
Choose to be a blessing.
Choose to be nice.
Maybe you will make a difference in the other person’s life.
Maybe they are having trials in their life and your smile and understanding can give them a moment of peace, brighten their day.
Give them hope. It can be difficult at times but the blessings you put out there will come back to you.
The other half of the equation is not so easy.
Be nice to yourself.
Sounds simple…deceptively simple.
But it’s harder than you think.
When you look in the mirror, what do you say to yourself?
Do you smile and think how great you look or do you zero in on “faults” you see starring back at you. Do a chorus of voices ring out in your head – ugly – fat – stupid?
When you make a mistake do you condemn yourself?? – failure, loser, no good.
You would never say that to your best friend.
You would never put up with someone else saying that to your best friend.
Before you judge yourself, call yourself names or just generally be mean and hate on yourself, take a minute and say something nice. I know it’s hard and maybe you don’t really believe what you are saying. But if you say it enough it will become your truth.
PROVERB 23 – As we think so shall we become.
It won’t always be easy. If you catch yourself being mean, then correct yourself and say something nice. It will become a habit.
I know this from personal experience. I couldn’t even pass a mirror without saying I was a fat ugly loser. No one will ever really love you. But I overcame it day by day, week by week…and you can too!
Dr. Phil calls them ANTS – Automatic Negative Thoughts. Traditional psychology calls those voices the negative ego. Some would call the voices demons or the devil.
I call it the darkness.
You must realize that just the fact that you can lean back and listen to those voices means that they are a separate entity from yourself.
Those voices are not you. They are something else entirely, trying to hold you down and keep you from your true potential, keep you from God’s light and love.
Those voices from the darkness will torture you; trying to get you feel fear, anger, hatred, toward yourself and towards others.
You must reject those voices. When you hear them start, tell them to shut up. Reject what they are saying and replace it by saying–
“I am a child of God and he made me perfect, exactly who I need to be to accomplish my purpose in this life.”
If you are about to be mean to someone, the voices start spinning about how it’s not fair, they can’t treat you like that, the anger starts to build say—
“ I reject that feeling. I am a child of God and I am a blessing to all who cross my path”
It sounds a little crazy, but it could be your purpose in that person’s life to teach them forgiveness or patience.
You CAN choose to be nice to yourself and others. It is tough at first, but it’s like a muscle; The more you use it the stronger it gets!
Here are some inspirational scriptures to support you when you are feeling weak.
Matthew 5:44-48
44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?
47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?
48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Proverbs 4:23
23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
1 John 4:20
Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.
Philippians 2:5
5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
Ephesians 2:10
10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
2 Corinthians 10:5
5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
2 Corinthians 9:7
7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion,
for God loves a cheerful giver.
Colossians 3:12
12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience
Unleash Your Light 