Be Prepared

“Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:2-4)

Our OUTLOOK determines our outcome, and our ATTITUDE determines our actions.

Do you remember in the original Pink Panther movies Clouseau’s manservant, Cato? Part of his job was to attack him regularly to keep him alert and skilled in martial arts so he could always be prepared.

In the same way James is telling in this opening to James there WILL be regular attacks, and we need to look at them as training exercises. They won’t necessarily stop, but once we’ve mastered how to respond to one kind then we move to the next level with different testing. If we approach each day knowing these moments are coming, we have the opportunity for one of two actions:

We can RESPOND well, or we can REACT poorly.

So, how is your outlook for today? Are you on the lookout for “trials” so that you can respond well? If you change your mindset and know that somewhere today you will be tested how does that change your ability to respond well?