Progressive Pessimists

I have been thinking a lot lately about how easy it is to be a pessimist.  What I mean by this is the focus of only seeing problems and deconstructing what other people are doing, while not offering a viable alternative.  The reason why I titled this entry as "Progressive Pessimists" is because it seems that many people are consumed with thinking that they should be taken seriously, while only offering negativity.  They get a following of people who think the leader is brilliant, but the main thing that is sustainable is indicting problems as a lifestyle.

The problem is that if we become people who do not offer a better way then it only leads to perpetual negativity.  I do believe that it is important to talk through issues and be open to changing our opinion if it is wrong, but we must be people who do this in a gracious manner because a better way is being offered.  

I was just having a conversation with a guy a couple of weeks ago who brought up some good points on areas that Christians need to answer better, but the problem was that he wasn't even concerned about offering a way to give an answer.  I understand that sometimes we need to have conversations in order to get our ideas out (even if it is only to see if we really believe what is being said), but the issue comes when we do not have the focus of searching out for answers.  I think this is a type of laziness that we must all be very careful with.  We must be people who humbly ask others who are only concerned with problems, "So, what would be a better alternative?  What would be your suggestions as to how we can help to change the opinions of people?  Can we try to search out answers for an alternative view together?"

I am saying all of this so that we start discussing how to give humble answers to the problems we see.  I say this so that we can all be warned so that we do not try to get people to follow pessimism instead of optimism (By the way, I think that an optimistic person is someone who is able to see a problem and also give an alternative view that would make the situation or thinking better.  He/She is not someone who "lives in the clouds" as if nothing is wrong, but instead he/she is not just controlled by negativity).  I say this so that we can be people who testify to the great words of Ps. 84.  This would mean that we would people who go from strength to strength.  When we come on the Valley of "Baca" (that is the word used in Ps. 84.  It means "troubles") we will be people who still have proper reason to have an optimistic hope.  We will be people who look in the face of problems and not ignore them, but search out answers.

I hope and pray you have a great week.