On my to the dentist today I kept thinking about what it means to be “positive”. Not that going to the dentist is negative for me, it was just my random thinking brain hard at work wondering through my brains hallways and archives.

Wednesday February 11, 2015
Redding, California

I pictured a child asking what is “positive thinking”. Oh, did your mind answer it that quick? You see each of us become programmed with automatic responses. My guess is your answer is normal and an acceptable answer, which of course the 8 year old has no experience with to relate to your answer.

I think “positive” is actually “respect”… we teach the 8 year old to “respect” their parents with words like, yes sir and no mame.

Respect is the act of being positive. Talking up and for someone is respect. Helping another person is respect. Showing concern and empathy is respect. The beginning of wisdom is respect. Education begins with respect. Respect honors the good in all people and things.

I can feel the word respect. I can’t feel what positive is. I don’t think positive works. Positive is not the opposite of negative. This is religious and metaphysical jargon. Mary Baker Eddy made Positive famous. (As I write this, I am writing from my brain and not from current research, therefore some or all of my words may be incorrect).

Respect. I respect. I honor. I fear.

When I struggle, it usually comes from disrespect for myself. What? Think about it for awhile… when someone hurts them self, they show disrespect. In this comes the inability to respond to the enemy.

Remember, our only enemy is satan. The devil, lucifer is our enemy. Jesus came to deliver us from all the works of the enemy starting with salvation from death to life. Salvation is the ultimate of respect God has for His creation. Therefore, God sent us a savior Jesus Christ to redeem us from disrespect and set us into the world of respect. I know that sounds weird. Just go with the flow of respect.

Start by reading the Book of Proverbs, it’s right in the center of the Holy Bible, next to Psalms.

I respect you and call your name up to our Heavenly Father.

I really want to help you.

John :)
Wednesday February 11, 2015
Redding, California