What’s your vibe? What do you give off? What do you emit? At work the other day someone came to me and asked if I was upset with them. I said “No, why would you think that?!?!” Ahem. They said they felt I was “directing negative energy” toward them. What? What is negative energy? Is that like a science experiment? I don’t even know how to direct negative energy. I mean, look at me, I’m Little Miss Sunshine, unicorns, cupcakes and all that jazz. How could someone ask me that question? Slowly, very slowly, like a couple of days later slowly, I understood.
You see, there was this equipment malfunction at the office. I did what every civilized, professional, example-setter would do. I screamed at the equipment. I was frustrated over the lack of a solution to a nonsolutionable (Is that a word?) problem. You see, sometimes we can’t get blood out of a turnip, or blood out of a rock, or blood out of wine, however that saying goes. Some things just aren’t fixable, especially technology! Anyway, clearly, I was out of line. If my attitude was such that someone in the same room thought that I was directing negative energy at them, there was a problem.
I stopped. Thought. Prayed. Received. Frustration had oozed from me and damaged my witness, because of a stupid (it really is) scanner. I started thinking, how many times a day do people feel my negative energy? Whether it be frustration because of a piece of equipment, frustration because I’ve filled my busyness plate to over flowing, frustration because I don’t like what’s going on in my life, frustration because I don’t like what’s going on in your life, frustration because I feel completely out of control, frustration because I have too much to do and not enough time to do it, frustration because…frustration because…frustration because…you name it. I have no right to impose my frustrations, or as some would say my negative energy, on another.
I may not be looking or talking to anyone when directing my negative energy, nevertheless, negative energy rolls out. You’ve been in those situations where someone has sounded off and it feels like all the oxygen has been sucked out of the room. I’ve been the oxygen sucker. You have too. Chances are we didn’t even realize it until someone pointed it out. Regardless of what side you’ve been on, either side is not pleasant.
They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him.
Titus 1:16
Brother Paul was talking specifically about false teachers who were condemned by personal conduct. They claimed one thing and acted out another. Their lives didn’t line up with their lips. They were leading folks astray. Not so different than me, huh? My lips proclaim my love for Jesus yet that’s not the life vibe I’m always giving off. That’s deceptive to folks. It is confusing when I say one thing and act another. So, what to do? Get it together. Stop making excuses. Live what I proclaim. Of course, I cannot do this alone – I’m desperate for God to give me the wisdom to know how to live what I proclaim and to choose to live that way.
If you are wise and understand God’s ways, live a life of steady goodness so that only good deeds will pour forth.
James 3:13
The scriptures tell us that if we are wise and understand God’s ways, our lives will reflect that. In fact, it says our lives will pour forth.
He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.
Psalm 25:9
Well, it sounds like I’ve got some humbling to do if I want to be taught His ways. I can pretty much guarantee He doesn’t teach us to sound off at office equipment, be overly busy, pout about our lives, live out of control, you know what I mean, right? As Christians we need to give off good vibes. Who would want what we’ve got if we act like the rest of the world? We want folks to pick up our good vibrations. Good, good, good good vibrations!