Do not conform to the pattern of this world,
but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Romans 12:2, NIV
The Optimist’s Creed is a whimsical saying that was printed in medieval-style art on every box of Mayflower Donuts from the 1930s to the 1970s. This personal motto of founder Adolph Levitt read:
“As you ramble on through life, brother,
Whatever be your goal,
Keep your eye upon the doughnut,
And not upon the hole.”
The Doughnut or the Hole
Whether you see the doughnut or the hole tells a lot about your personality style. An optimist has a life view that believes good will prevail and that setbacks are temporary. Optimists, who are also believers, look to God when life takes unexpected turns, trusting He has the answers to turn the world right side up again. Generally speaking, optimists see the doughnut, and preferably with chocolate and sprinkles on the top, and maybe even while the doughnut is still warm.
The writer of Romans offers us another perspective. We might call it an optimistic one. When the world is falling apart around you, the last thing you want to do is jump into the mess. The best thing you can do is renew your mind, think a new thought, look at things differently. When you give yourself a chance to think in a new way, you embrace all that’s possible. After a tumultuous 2020, most of us are ready to see things in a new light. This little poem about the doughnut and the hole is a good reminder about how to get more of the good stuff of life.
Here’s the Benefit
Research indicates that those who look at the world through an optimistic lens tend to stay healthier, embrace others with respect and joy, and imagine a brighter future. They believe they have every reason to be hopeful and so they walk around any obstacles until they find opportunities.
Winston Churchill said, “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” In order to see new possibilities, we have to be willing to renew our thoughts, step away from the hearsay and social media twitter and set a new course. We need to turn our attentions toward compassion and ways to see the positive aspects of life more clearly.
Perhaps the biggest connection between your faith in Christ, and your sense of optimism has to do with the hope you feel in your heart. Hope carries you into the future and gives you opportunities you never expected. In order to thrive on possibilities, you must trust that those things which are meant to be, will come together. For an optimist, hope is the doughnut.
It’s true that you need a healthy dose of reality to get through life, but your reality can be transformed by your faith. You have to believe that the One who provided the doughnut in the first place, meant for many sweet things to come your way. It’s definitely a doughnut day!
adapted from It’s Still Possible.