A Positive Attitude

For the past week, I've been reading "The Silver Chair" by C.S. Lewis. One of the main characters in this particular book is a creature named Puddleglum, the Marsh-wiggle. He has kept me laughing through the entire book with his attitude. You see, he comments that all the other Marsh-wiggles tell him to get his head out of the clouds and to stop having such a positive attitude all the time. When in fact, his attitude is anything but positive. He's constantly making comments like "No doubt, this is the last time we'll see each other." And, "We're likely to be eaten, I'll reckon." And, "What's food for Marsh-wiggles may be poison to humans, I should think." Each of these comments are made with such a dry tone and an obviously negative attitude. Without a doubt, this character honestly believes that bad things always happen and they will continue to happen. So, every time Puddleglum makes some comment about looking on the bright side, I can't help but laugh.

But, then, I started thinking. Am I a Puddleglum? I admit I've had more than my share of negative moments when I was sure all hope was lost. And, I further admit that I've counseled many a friend to just put the circumstances in God's hands, and He will handle the rest. It sounds to me, just like Puddleglum, that I am not practicing what I "preach." How can I be negative all the time, and then turn around and tell others to be positive?

I'm sure when C.S. Lewis wrote the Narnia series, he had no idea how much it was going to impact the world. There are so many lessons to be learned from these stories, and if you haven't read them, I encourage you to. While reading, look for the symbolism tied into each story. I'm sure it will bless you, and maybe even convict you as it has me.