In The Master's Service

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HOW WOULD YOU BE TREATED?

How would you like to be treated wherever you go? The attitude we display goes a long way toward how others treat us. If we give the impression that we are mad, angry, sad or any other negative attitude, we are almost certainly going to receive a similar attitude in return. We tend to give in return that which we received in the first place.

As children we played a game that we called simply "staring." In the game two persons would stare directly into the eyes of each other. The idea was to make the other person laugh first. Sometimes it was very easy to keep a straight face, but at other times it seemed to be almost impossible to do so. Just as soon as one person laughed, the other person would also laugh. It was easy to do the same thing that the other person was doing - if he laughed. It is always easier to laugh, smile or look happy than it is to be sad, mad or otherwise negative - it takes far fewer muscles to laugh than it does to frown.

Try smiling at others as you meet them and observe how they react. More often than not, they will smile back at you. If someone fails to smile, don't be upset, just think that he or she may have some big weighty problem that has not yet been resolved. If so, then share a big smile as a means of trying to make that person feel a little better.

There is enough sadness in the world without us adding any more to it. Think happy and kind thoughts, dwell upon pleasant things, and before long our whole attitude will assume a much more friendly and happy nature.

Spread sunshine; drive away clouds of darkness and of gloom. Treat others as you would want them to treat you. We cannot expect others to be pleasant if we are noting but a grouch.

If you should meet someone who just does not have a smile at all, give him one of yours. Try to remember this advice: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."