I took a job this summer as a lifeguard at an amusement/water park. This white-haired man was working with a lot of 15-, 16-, 17- and 18-year-olds. When the first hint of a storm was forecast, the lifeguards would say “I so hope we get out of work early,” and that surprised me! I was even more surprised when the lifeguard managers had the same attitude. “We can all hope the thunder and lightning will come so we can go home early.” I was confused. Everyone applied for this work. Everyone had to go through extensive physical training. Everyone knew the salary. Everyone wanted the money. Why did they want to subvert all their efforts to earn money for the summer?

Lifeguarding is an important assignment. Being at peak alertness while watching the water is vital. You are responsible for what happens under your watch. You must be awake, alert and diligently watch all swimmers. You must continually scan all areas, including the bottom of the pool, in case someone has gone unconscious. You must stop anything that could lead to an accident. Standing in the blazing sun, a lifeguard must be ready at all times to rescue a swimmer.

Most of my fellow lifeguards were noticeably unhappy with their work. When we met at the beginning and end of each day, foul language was the norm. The supervisors seemed angry half of the time, correcting employees with foul language. I had expected to be in a job where everyone was happy. But the workers were not happy. They complained and insulted those enjoying the park. I questioned whether God wanted me to stay in this environment.

Being a light

I believe God then inspired me with the thought that I could be a light in this situation. So, I prayed for the right attitude. I prayed that I could help others have a better day. I smiled all the time. I learned the others’ names and said hello whenever we passed. I greeted some with fist bumps. I sat next to anyone who seemed down or alone when we began our daily meetings.

I started joking with patrons going by on the lazy river. I welcomed and thanked individuals and families for visiting the park. I spoke to the kids as I was watching the water in the wave pool. I was enthusiastic and joked with all the kids and adults while I was sending them down the slides. When I started doing this, the other slide attendant looked at me and said, “Wow, you really like your job, don’t you?”

Matthew 5:14-16 says, “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

When we let our light shine and have a positive and encouraging attitude, it will not only improve our outlook on our situation, but it will also spread to many who come in contact with us. Motivational speaker Zig Zigler once said, “A positive attitude will have positive results because attitudes are contagious!”

Can one person make a difference?

I had prayed for God to help me each day I went to work. I had asked for His help to encourage others, to change their day for the better. As the summer went on, I asked myself if anything changed with my focused efforts to present a positive attitude to the customers and other employees at the water park. Then one day the answer came.

The owner of the park was a person who never seemed to smile. Some say she worked 90 hours a week and micro-managed everything. She was always rushing from one emergency to another, “putting out fires.” I had started smiling and saying hello every time we passed each other. At first, she seemed a little shocked that I addressed her with a friendly voice. Then, she started giving me an uncomfortable smile back.

One day a group of us workers were walking together to our areas when the owner passed us going the opposite direction in her little golf cart. She smiled and said, “Hello everyone. Have a good day.” One of the other workers commented, “Wow. She has never acknowledged me, much less wished me a good day.”

It wasn’t just the owner whose attitude started to change. Throughout the day I rotated all over the park, but kids were continually searching to find me to return a fist bump I gave them earlier. Or they would come find me to tell me they wanted to be a lifeguard. Some just wanted to tell me they had to leave and waved as they went by. Adult park goers called me “A lifeguard with personality!” when I joked with them and smiled.

The changes kept coming

Wherever I went, instead of me being the first to say hello to the other lifeguards, they were saying hello to me first. Sometimes a group would say “Hello Kevin” in unison. The guys all started giving me fist bumps as I passed by. I really started enjoying my job.

A 16-year-old lifeguard asked me at one point, “Aren’t you hot in that long sleeve shirt?” I replied that it was hot, but I was fine. Later I overheard her talking to a supervisor offering to pay for me to have a second shirt that was a short sleeved. While at the beginning of the summer, people had been rather distant from one another, one of my coworkers was offering to buy me a shirt!

I wondered if the atmosphere was really changing or if I was just imagining it. Then, at the end of one long hot day, all the lifeguards and supervisors had a meeting. A few things were discussed and then an announcement was made. “The winner of the prize for a lifeguard who made a difference goes to Kevin!” All the lifeguards clapped, cheered and congratulated me. My prayer to make others smile and help them enjoy their day had been answered. God had helped me be a contagious light.

I heard a few other comments along the way that really drove this point home. “I want to be a lifeguard when I grow up” some children said. One administrator at the park gave me a ride in his golf cart one day and told me, “You may not know it, but everybody here loves you.”

I started enjoying going to work each day. Almost everyone seemed to have a more positive attitude. There was less foul language and less complaining. Then one day, one of the managers asked me if I would be coming back next year. She needed a major change in the lifeguard leadership—and she felt I could do it.

I never had imagined that a positive, encouraging attitude could change the atmosphere of an entire workplace. The positive attitude had become very contagious indeed.

Shining lights

As Christians we are to be lights. A very positive change occurred in my workplace last summer, not because of me, but because of how God’s Word inspired me. I thank God for His inspiration and how He used me.

We don’t have to let our circumstances control us. Being encouraging and having a positive attitude will help us improve our outlook on whatever we are doing and will spread to all those whom we come in contact with.

With God’s help, we can make a difference in the world around us. It’s time to be contagious!