Only If You Choose To Be

“Put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful [attitudes]; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 4:22–24, NIV 1984).

My Musings – “To my big brother George, the richest man in town.” (Harry Bailey, It’s A Wonderful Life). To our little brother Joseph, the second richest man in Egypt.

The above came to mind as I listened to a song on the radio on my drive to work this morning. I don’t listen to a lot of country music, as I grew up on rock and roll. The early sixties to the early seventies (before disco), the “golden age” of rock. But I like this country song. “I told ’em all the story, Momma told me while she sewed. And how my coat of many colors, was worth more than all their clothes. But they didn’t understand it, and I tried to make them see. That one is only poor, only if they choose to be. Now I know we had no money. But I was rich as I could be.” (Dolly Parton, Coat of Many Colors).

“Back to the seasons of [her] youth, [she recalled] a box of rags that someone gave [her family], and how [her] momma put the rags to use.” A coat made out of many-colored rags, because there was no money to buy one. But “one is only poor, only if they choose to be.” And Joseph? One is only bitter, only if they choose to be.

Poverty, heartbreak, loss and disappointment, among other things. Can only bring us down (for good), only if we choose to let them. Of course, most of these things will require some time to process, but their long-term effect on us is only what we choose to allow. We may remain poor in terms of material things (“now I know we had no money”), like big brother George was (“worth more dead than alive”), and yet be the richest person in town (“but I was rich as I could be”) where it really counts. Heartbreak, loss and disappointment does not need to end in bitterness if, like Joseph, we choose otherwise.

My Advice – “The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life.  Attitude, to me, is more important than facts.  It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think, say or do.  It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill.  It will make or break a company… a church… a home.  The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we embrace for that day.  We cannot change our past… we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way.  We cannot change the inevitable.  The only thing we can do is play the one string we have, and that is our attitude… I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so, it is with you… we are in charge of our attitudes” (Chuck Swindoll, Attitudes). Don’t abdicate your choice to be as “rich” as you can be.

Coat of Many Colors

Back through the years
I go wonderin’ once again
Back to the seasons of my youth
I recall a box of rags that someone gave us
And how my momma put the rags to use

There were rags of many colors
But every piece was small
And I didn’t have a coat
And it was way down in the fall

Momma sewed the rags together
Sewin’ every piece with love
She made my coat of many colors
That I was so proud of

As she sewed, she told a story
From the bible, she had read
About a coat of many colors
Joseph wore and then she said

“Perhaps this coat will bring you
Good luck and happiness”
And I just couldn’t wait to wear it
And momma blessed it with a kiss

My coat of many colors
That my momma made for me
Made only from rags
But I wore it so proudly
Although we had no money
I was rich as I could be
In my coat of many colors
My momma made for me

So with patches on my britches
And holes in both my shoes
In my coat of many colors
I hurried off to school

Just to find the others laughing
And making fun of me
In my coat of many colors
My momma made for me

And oh I couldn’t understand it
For I felt I was rich
And I told them of the love
My momma sewed in every stitch

And I told ’em all the story
Momma told me while she sewed
And how my coat of many colors
Was worth more than all their clothes

But they didn’t understand it
And I tried to make them see
That one is only poor
Only if they choose to be
Now I know we had no money
But I was rich as I could be
In my coat of many colors
My momma made for me

— Dolly Parton