There are times in life when it is necessary to be one or the other and often both. It is important as moms, grandmas, friends, bosses and Christians to be a thermometer. We need to be able to read the temperature of a room of people or a situation. A watchful eye, carefully listening ear and a little wisdom will help us determine if there is a problem arising. When we feel the temperature rising in our area, we can step in and help to diffuse the situation. By the same token, if the room seems cold and drab and as though people are not warming up to one another or interacting as we hoped, we can also do something to help break the ice.
We are thermometers when we read the temperature of the room but when we step in to help change the temperature, we then become the thermostat. At our house we go over and change the setting on the thermostat of our furnace or central air unit depending on how warm or cold we feel in the house. It's as simple as hitting a button or turning a dial.
Unfortunately, when dealing with people and temperatures of a situation, it takes more than hitting a button. People won't always respond in the way you hope as easily as an electrical device. Experience will help you get better at being a thermometer and a thermostat in most situations of life.
There are many devotionals you can find online that tell you to be the thermostat and not the thermometer. I suppose as I read through those I can see their point. However, life is a balance and I think it's important to be both as you travel life's journey and deal with people. Many a problem can be diffused if we first read the temperature of the situation and then become the thermostat to set everything to a new degree.
Just something to ponder. I can't believe I have gone well into March of 2024 before even making a single blog post. In my defense, I am again working on another book to publish on Amazon KDP and have devoted my time to that. Be on the look out for a release date some time in the near future.
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