Good News People Aren’t Jerks

It’s embarrassing how little, insignificant things can trigger a mood swing—causing me to go from normal to jerk in 4.2 seconds. I recently had an incident like this at Radio Shack. Ugh. Embarrassing.

When I think about the story of Joseph (Mary’s fiancé), I’m struck with how many opportunities he had to loose his cool (finding out his fiancé is pregnant and he’s not the father, long road trip with his fiancé in her third trimester of pregnancy, crowded village with no hotel rooms available, etc.).

Matthew 1.19 says, “Joseph was a good man…”

Here’s my interpretation of that verse: “Joseph wasn’t a jerk.”

In my book, he had plenty of reasons to flip his lid—but he didn’t. He kept his cool.

It’s easy to be nice when everything is going your way… but not so much when bad news comes.

Maybe Good News—when it gets ahold of us—changes us.

Good News has the power to change jerks, transforming them into good guys. Think about Zacchaeus, the jerk tax-collector-thug—he was transformed into a compassionate philanthropist; think about the naked guy who ran around the cemetery howling and cutting himself—he was transformed into a sane, normal, contributing member of society.

Good News people aren’t jerks (we shouldn’t be—not if the Good News has really gotten ahold of us).

Good News People readily admit they aren’t always right. Jerks are always right.

Good News People have soft hearts. Jerks have mean, tough, calloused hearts.

Good News People are open to redirection, correction and are willing to be led. Jerks refuse to be led.

Good News People have positive attitudes even when the news is negative. Jerks have attitude problems.

Good News People speak graciously. Jerks dish out an endless supply of cruel and hurtful words.

Good News People are kind and willing to be inconvenienced by others. Jerks are gifted in the art of putting themselves first.

Don’t be a jerk.

Nobody’s perfect. We know that already.

But we can be Good News people—good guys who…

• are able to admit it when we’re wrong
• have soft hearts
• are open to redirection and correction, willing to be led
• keep a positive attitude even when the news is negative
• are gracious in our speech
• are kind and willing to be inconvenienced by others
• are willing to be used by God