I once gave a writing assignment to a group of students instructing them to create an essay explaining which day of the week they would choose to be. Of course as you can imagine, Friday and Saturday were top picks – Sunday a very close second. No one wanted to be Monday. The outcome prompted me to assign yet another essay as to why no one wanted to be Monday. The returns were quite interesting and thought-provoking. Realistically, depending on how you view your calendar, Monday is the start of a new week, a fresh chance to “get it right,” an avenue of hope and restoration; but, who in their right minds views Monday in that manner? Monday is daunting. It takes the fun out of the weekend. Monday starts problems that we work to resolve until Friday rolls around again. And that feeling of contentment from time spent with family and friends at church or ballparks or gardening is suddenly gone for returning to work or school and having to start it all over again.
Oh I wouldn’t want to be Monday – the bearer of bad news; the instigator of problems and issues; and the ultimate party-pooper. Last week I ran into a friend who was having a really bad Tuesday. She said to me, “I guess Tuesday is the new Monday, huh?” There is even argument as to which day should start the week – Sunday or Monday. Maybe people feel if Sunday started the week, it would take a bit of pressure off Monday. I’m a Monday starts the week kind of girl just because I like to end the week on the Sabbath Day as I believe God did with rest. Whatever category you fall into, your Monday is just like anyone elses’ – despised, dreaded, and even feared.
There is a lady I know. If we could seriously classify people as days of the week, she would be a “Monday.” I cannot get, “How are you?” out of my mouth that she does not begin with all the woes of the world, her neighbors, her church, her own body, the list goes on and on. Her favorite line is “If Satan would just leave us alone…” Usually, when I have finished my conversation with her, my frozen veggies have melted and the entire line at the check-out counter of the grocery store is eyeing me so happy I got stuck talking to her and not them.
So, what day of the week are you?
In my younger days I would categorize myself as a Saturday – full of fun, adventure, relaxed, easy-going; now I see myself as more of a Wednesday – an optimistic, encouraging, middle of the road, “we’re going to make it” kind of person. What about you?
I used to work for an attorney who would open the office doors on Monday mornings and with arms raised high would declare, “Mr. Monday…I’m gonna kick your behind.” I’ve come to believe the initial manner in which we tackle our every day lives actually influences the outcome. If we look at our problems, like we look at Monday, we set the tone and often the prediction of failure. But if we can become Fridays, believers of good things to come; resonators declaring that the week has been tough but I survived and I’m moving forward; and an encourager of hope that greater things are yet to come – oh, we could turn problems into solutions; despair into hope; and depression into joy.
Mondays do come in our lives and in the lives of those around us – sometimes they last long into Tuesday – but never doubt that God isn’t just as much a part of our Mondays as He is our Fridays. We just have to recognize His presence in every aspect of our lives.
2 Chronicles 20:17 “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.”
Choose to be an instrument of hope – not an obstacle of despair. Choose to be a Friday not a Monday to those around you.
