You’re Not in the Wrong Seat – You Have the Wrong Attitude

When you look at this meme, what do you see?

At first glance, it’s pretty simple. There’s a happy guy on one side of the bus looking out over the beautiful landscape and there’s a not so happy guy on the other side of the bus looking at a wall of stone.

The key is in the caption though.

“So much of our happiness depends on how we choose to look at the world.”

How we choose. Choose.

Sometimes we forget that we always have a choice.

I posted the meme (without my own commentary) on social media and someone commented that the guy on the left can’t see anything good because he was put in the “wrong seat” on the bus. The commenter said, “Sometimes you don’t get to choose your seat so there’s nothing good to see.”

I disagree.

And to be honest, that is an attitude of the world. Jesus called us out of the world, remember?

I responded to this person, “If he would just turn his head to the left he could see it too. He is choosing where to direct his gaze.”

He made a choice, and he is looking at the bad view instead of the beautiful one.

Plus, he should be thanking God that he can ride the bus at all. He could be walking. Or worse, he could be left back at the bus stop.

Now, we don’t know if he was actually placed in that seat or if he chose it himself, but it doesn’t really matter. He could always choose to turn his head to the beautiful view.

He is always free to choose joy regardless of his circumstances.

It’s like that in life too.

Sometimes God puts us in some uncomfortable circumstances. Sometimes He puts us in the “wrong seat,” and it is up to us to choose where to look.

Sometimes we just need to change our attitude, stop looking for the negative and seek out the positive in our situation.

Sitting in the “wrong seat” can bring on tremendous growth or great stagnation. It can plough your heart or turn it to stone. It can bring you into a deeper, more meaningful relationship with Jesus or it can turn you away from him and cause bitterness to rise up within you. It’s your choice.

And let’s just be honest, when you choose to keep your eyes on Jesus you can’t help but see beauty.

Choose the beautiful view. Be grateful. Choose joy!

Are you sitting in the “wrong seat” today? Are you looking at a wall of stone?

What are you going to do about it?

Scripture for study: Romans 12:2, Colossians 3:23, Ephesians 4:23, Galatians 5:22-23, Colossians 3:16, Hebrews 13:5