Becoming a Better You Step 2

Step 2 “Be Positive With Yourself“

A book review by Scott Hill

I have to be honest with my audience. This review is becoming more and more draining as I read and think through it. I have read close to half of this book, and it has actually become a real chore just to pick it up and read it. Even with my initial low expectations the book itself is very poorly written. It is basically one paragraph of cliches after another strung together by anecdotal evidence, with the occasional reference to scripture. It is so repetitive and so full of positive drivel that I literally feel nauseous reading it. I am not being sarcastic, reading this book makes me sick. I have come to the conclusion that Joel Osteen himself has serious issues with his on self-confidence and this book is really just a pep talk to himself.

This is solidified by stories such as one in chapter 7 “Stop Listening to Accusing Voices”. In this anecdote Pastor Joel shares a recurring fear that sometimes he walks of stage feeling like his message wasn’t good today. His thoughts are that no one got anything from the message and it practically put them to sleep. Now all of us who have ever preached have felt this way at times. However, how many of us have dealt with it by telling ourselves. “No, I believe I did good! I did my best. I know that at least one person really got something out of it. I did. I thought it was good.”

Step 2 be positive with yourself is not only unbiblical it is not even good worldly advice. If you followed Joel’s model in this step you would basically end up the oblivious optimist ignoring the world burning down around you. The jargon is saturated with the positive thinking perspective with an element of the charismatic “speak it into being” mindset. He makes “if you build it they will come” actually look like sane advice. The “action points” at the end of this section summarize what I mean. Action point one states “I refuse to live guilty or condemned because of past mistakes. Instead, I will step into new situations confidently, knowing that I am forgiven by God. I will make this day a fresh beginning. Today I am choosing to refresh my self-image by speaking positive affirmations and faith-filled words over my life such as;

I am blessed; I am prosperous; I am healthy; I am continually wiser.”
I am excelling in my career; God is helping me to succeed.”
I have a positive opinion about myself because I not only know who I am, but I know whose I am- I belong to Almighty God.

In action point three we should determine to keep our inner dialogue positive about ourself. Reject any negative thoughts toward myself and others, and meditate on thoughts such as, I am valuable and well able to do what God has called me to do.

The four chapters that encompass step 2 should really be one long chapter, because the message is about ignoring negativity in our lives. Like a high school girls MySpace profile Joel doesn’t like negative people. At points the rhetoric becomes so comical I reminese about SNL’s Deep Thoughts by Jack Handey. In all this talk about self esteem and positive thoughts and attitudes we don’t even get a passing reference to our status in Christ being the only thing we have to have any self esteem about. This message is the direct antithesis to the scriptural teaching on this subject, yet “pastor” Joel seems oblivious to this. So far I can only remember even one passing reference to Christ, and it was not even in the context of this discussion. Scripture is filled with numerous stories of men who realized their utter worthlessness apart from Christ, yet they didn’t gain confidence by positive thinking but by salvation and understanding that without Christ they really were worthless. I kept waiting at some point for a least a proverbial ‘turn your problems over to Jesus” but I didn’t even get that. Christ is so far practically non existent in this book.

Joel deals in chapter 10 about reprogramming your mind. Do not confuse this with the biblical model of renewing your mind. Reading and studying Gods word to become a better you does not seem to be a part of the equation at this point. This is more of the same “I’m a good person, and people like me” jargon. Thankfully he did throw in a “because we are created by God”, but even that was side note.

Again the world would laugh at the wisdom purported in step 2 of this book, and only the most ignorant of Christians would think this was even relevant. It is literal psycho babble that is so comical you would swear its a bad TV reality show. In fact I think the best way to place it would be to quote one of my favorite movie quotes from Billy Madison. “Mr. Osteen, what you’ve just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.”