"When a politician or an activist or a television commentator tells us the land is actually a mess, that things are getting worse, we perk up and listen, for a distinct public pessimism is the mark of our era. Good news we greet with skepticism. Bad news we believe at once."
The above observation by Stephen Carter, shared in his timely article "A Politics of Gratitude" in Christianity Today, is cause for concern. Pessimism is the opposite of faith.
And, faith is vital if we are to enjoy the blessings of God.
Election campaigns often promote pessimism. In his best-selling book, "Total Forgiveness," R.T. Kendall quotes a former presidential campaign manager who said, "Candidates with high negative ratings in the opinion polls ‹ above 35 percent ‹ lose."
He added, "Negative ratings are far easier to create than positive ones."
Kendall concludes, in the minds of too many politicians, "It is not enough to make yourself look good; you must make your opponent look bad. And unfortunately it works." He then pleads for graciousness, in all areas of life.
"Graciousness is withholding certain facts you know to be true, so as to leave your enemy's reputation unscathed," he explains. "Total forgiveness sometimes means overlooking what you perceive to be the truth and not letting on about anything you know that could damage another person."
How can we attain this kind of attitude?
Stephen Carter says we must stop whining and start counting our blessings.
Thankfulness builds faith and overcomes pessimism.
Faith is positive. Pessimism is negative.
To build faith I quote the following Bible verses every morning: "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen," Hebrews 11:1; "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes," Mark 9:23.
Pessimism drains churches of courage and needed energy to fulfill their important roles in their communities and the world. It robs families of expectation and adventure, causing husbands and wives to focus on what's wrong in their lives instead of the many opportunities confronting them every day.
Pessimism is contagious. A businessman once told me how damaging a few pessimistic comments could be to a committee evaluating people for different levels of employment. He said the first evaluation usually proved to be the most important.
If that one was negative there was little hope for the person being considered.
Politicians, pastors and other public people should be examples of optimistic faith, remembering that in cutting down others to gain election or self promotion they may poison the minds of those who trust them, creating pessimistic attitudes among their followers who will then expect little and attempt less.
Dr. V. Raymond Edman, former president and late chancellor of Wheaton College, said: "Faith is dead to doubts, dumb to discouragements, blind to impossibilities, knows nothing but success. Faith makes the uplook good, the outlook bright, the inlook favorable and the future glorious."
Let's stop whining and start shining. Faith wins and fear loses ‹ every time.
Roger Campbell is an author, radio broadcaster and newspaper columnist from Waterford, Mich. He has written more than 20 books and has had articles published in most major Christian magazines. He was a pastor for 22 years and has been a guest speaker in Alaska churches from Anchorage to Homer.
