Bitter or Better

My friend Denn Guptill (@pennofdenn) has often said to me “People have a choice. they can either be bitter or better. Choose better.”

I think there is a lot of truth in this statement. We do have a choice. Two actually. We can be, no matter what happens to us, bitter or better. 

If we get stuck in traffic, if our car blows up, or if we have to deal with a difficult person at work, we can either respond by being bitter at them— getting mad at them, ripping a strip off of them—  or we can choose to be Better— take the high road and bless them, instead of cursing them. 

This even applies in our spiritual lives… (most everything does BTW)

Take a read from the Book of Job: 

“One day when Job’s sons and daughters were feasting at the oldest brother’s house, 14 a messenger arrived at Job’s home with this news: “Your oxen were plowing, with the donkeys feeding beside them, 15 when the Sabeans raided us. They stole all the animals and killed all the farmhands. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”

16 While he was still speaking, another messenger arrived with this news: “The fire of God has fallen from heaven and burned up your sheep and all the shepherds. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”

17 While he was still speaking, a third messenger arrived with this news: “Three bands of Chaldean raiders have stolen your camels and killed your servants. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”

18 While he was still speaking, another messenger arrived with this news: “Your sons and daughters were feasting in their oldest brother’s home. 19 Suddenly, a powerful wind swept in from the wilderness and hit the house on all sides. The house collapsed, and all your children are dead. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”

20 Job stood up and tore his robe in grief. Then he shaved his head and fell to the ground to worship. 21 He said,

“I came naked from my mother’s womb,

    and I will be naked when I leave.

The Lord gave me what I had,

    and the Lord has taken it away.

Praise the name of the Lord!”

22 In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God.” (NLT2) 

I find this passage interesting. With as much bad that happened to Job, or his family, or his “stuff” there was always one person who snuck away to tell him about the “badness” that had just transpired. Always one. How would you have liked to be that one who brought the Job the status update? 

The next ‘thing” that I find interesting about this passage is Job’s response to what just happened. 

He didn't get mad. He didn't didn’t “hulk up” and “hulk smash” everyone around him. He choose better. 

Look, again, at his response to the complete devastation of everything— 

20 Job stood up and tore his robe in grief. Then he shaved his head and fell to the ground to worship. 21 He said,

“I came naked from my mother’s womb,

    and I will be naked when I leave.

The Lord gave me what I had,

    and the Lord has taken it away.

Praise the name of the Lord!”

22 In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God.” (NLT2) 

Things would get worse for Job a bit later on, and he still responded the same way. He would not sin against God. 

Job chose better. 

Sure, he had his days where he questioned everything under the sun, and even questioned God, but through it all, Job chose better. 

After a recent hospital admission, I had more than one nurse remark to me that I was keeping a positive attitude. I simply told her what Denn had told me a long time ago: “You can either be bitter or better” 

Believe me, being bitter all of the time gets you nowhere. It does no good to cry and yell and “hulk smash” your way through life— especially in hospital, and I suspect it could be the same way in your workplace. No one wants to associate with a bitter person, because they are a drain on people. 

(sometimes one needs to unload but find a safe person to unload on, but everyone doesn't need to feel your wrath…)

You always have a choice: bitter or better. What will you choose?