Bright Spot: Fighting off the 'nattering nabobs of negatism'
NATTERING NABOBS OF NEGATIVISM by Pastor Rick Sams
I have a moderately sane relative who is OK unless he tunes very long to the 24/7 news cycle.
It’s made to make us mad, as in angry AND neurotic. The relentless reporting is like a baby who needs incessant attention. This voracious child feeds on bad news. His mother’s name is “journalism run amok” and “political glory hounds” is its father. Presidential elections are his nursery where it’s constantly too hot so this baby whines ALL the time. He spits up negativity every time we pick him up and give him the slightest affection.
How do we counter the spirit of negativism that vomits all over us through our airways and internet, in our break rooms at work, and maybe in our homes?
By the way, my title today comes from Vice President Spiro Agnew (later indicted), in a 1970 speech attacking the critics of the Nixon administration, using negativism to attack negativism.
A noteworthy duo of brothers did all they could to counter the same dark environment of the 18th century. Charles Wesley (1707-88) was often known by his famous brother, John, the noteworthy founder of the Methodist Church and pivotal social reformer. Charles Wesley was renowned in his own right, composing more than 6,500 hymns. Some historians credit the Wesleys and the revival they started that rocked England as a great preventer of a bloody revolution like France experienced.
Charles wanted his songs to shout praise to God instead of solely the negative effects of sin. That’s why the first hymn in every Methodist hymnal for more than two centuries was “Oh, For A Thousand Tongues (to sing my great redeemer’s praise).” He trumpeted the triumph of God’s grace in the final verse of the original 18 verses of this hymn. The song originally had a much longer title celebrating one’s deciding to follow Jesus and the amazing, abundant, and positive life that follows.
There’s no better way to counter the spirit of negativism in our culture than thanksgiving and praise to God. Scads of secular research proves that as well. Check out Dr. Shawn Achor’s humorous research report/podcast on “happiness at work” (youtube), which has had over a gazillion hits and...Psalm 22:3; Philippians 2:14-17 “Do everything without complaining or arguing so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God...in which you shine like stars...I am glad and rejoice (praise) with all of you. So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.”
Rick Sams is pastor emeritus of Alliance Friends Church.
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Your faith can help fight the 'nattering nabobs of negatism'