A Sister's Influence

Last night, when I was trying to sleep, stretched out on my Dad's over-sized reclining chair, in the living room, I started thinking about attitudes and influence. To be more specific, a sister's attitude and influence. As a sister, I have a great influence over my siblings, whether they admit it or not. My attitude effects the people around me, especially the people who are around me all the time. Siblings grow up together, they see each other and what each other does, inside the seclusion of the home. Thus, it is obvious that my attitude will effect my siblings greatly. I have an influence and effect over my siblings, one that I can use wisely and for the Lord, or one that I can use foolishly, and for the worse. I can either have a joyful and contented heart each day, spreading that joy and contentment among my brothers and sisters; or I can complain, whine, and stalk around with a disagreeable, discontented heart. As a sister, I can cause the atmosphere in the house to be pleasant, or unpleasent. If I walk around with a joyful, content, kind, and loving attitude, my siblings will obviously be more inclined to act in the same way. But if I walk around complaining, and grumbling, and acting like a nasty, snapping turtle, I encourage my siblings to react in the same way. I am afraid that, more often then not, I am the nasty, snarling, snapping turtle. I go around in the house, snapping at everyone and everything, demanding my way to be done, and all in all causing the atmosphere around me to be thunder clouds and rain. If I would choose instead to have a joyful contented heart, and use love and kindness, my siblings would be more apt to respond with kindness as well. Not only that, a sister's attitude is watched by siblings. As a sister, I am watched by my brothers and sisters, and encourage my siblings to act however I am acting. Once again, I have a choice. I can either show them a quiet, meek, gentle spirit, or a cross, angry, 'loud' spirit. I can be an example of what a joyfu,l contented Christian acts/looks like, or I can be an example of a froward, discontent, bitter Christian. I can endure the pain from my surgery with a joyful contented heart, or I can complain, grumble, yell and snap at everyone around me. The choice is up to me, but how much weighs on my decision.