Are you a Thermostat or a Thermometer?

A couple weeks ago we were blessed to house 2 incredible teenagers while their parents went on vacation!  We had the best time with them, and our Wii got used more than it ever has before!  While they were staying with us, however, we had a myriad of “adventures.”  Our water was turned off for several hours because of a pipe that burst near hour home, and our son was very sick with “something going around.”  Tuesday night, reminded me of a very valuable lesson I heard years ago, however…something I now won’t quickly forget.

At about 3AM the monitor in our bedroom lit up because our sweet Caleb started screaming.  Trying to see if he would just “cry it out” we laid in bed, staring at the ceiling, waiting for him to calm down.  After several minutes of hearing him suffer, I got up and ran to his room only to find him crying in his crib.  I picked him up and discovered that his forehead was burning up!  He had been sick the day before, but he felt MUCH warmer than he had been.  About that time, Steve walked into the room and I asked him to run downstairs and get Caleb’s thermometer and some Tylenol.  Trying to keep things dark for the 2 teenagers sleeping, Steve fumbled all the way downstairs tripping and tumbling as he went.  (With all of the noise that we made, we really should have just turned on the lights!)  I carried our Caleb into our bedroom and could hear Steve dropping who knows what as he went through the cabinets, searching for the supplies I had commissioned him for.  Minutes later, he came into the room, and we took Caleb’s temperature – 104 degrees!  A feeling of panic and helplessness as I knew there was nothing I could do to console my sweet baby…. he just felt sick!  We gave him the Tylenol and finally, after an episode of the Wiggles and about 30 minutes passed, he fell back asleep.

The next morning, I read a passage in the bible that reminded me of an important lesson.  It said,

“I urge you to live a life worth of the calling you have received.  Be completely humble and gentle, be patient, bearing one another in love.  Make every effort to keep the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace.” Ephesians 4:1

Paul, the author of this passage, is giving us instructions to be a difference-maker, not just a thermometer, assessing the situation.  A lot of people can state a problem.  They can stick a “thermometer” in and read the result.  They can complain about the situation, and inspire frustration by recounting the problem with a negative attitude.  Few people choose to be difference –makers…few people choose to be a thermostat.

A thermostat controls the temperature.  It changes things.  It makes a difference.  A thermostat not only reads the current situation, but it does things to make the situation change.  A thermometer simply reports a problem, whining and complaining about how bad things are.

So which are you?  A thermostat or a thermometer? I want to be a thermostat, and make a difference in this world!  Why don’t you join me and start making a difference in your world, today!