– Scripture:
For there are a lot of rebels out there, full of loose, confusing, and deceiving talk. Those who were brought up religious and ought to know better are the worst. They’ve got to be shut up. They’re disrupting entire families with their teaching, and all for the sake of a fast buck. One of their own prophets said it best:
The Cretans are liars from the womb, barking dogs, lazy bellies.
He certainly spoke the truth. Get on them right away. Stop that diseased talk of Jewish make-believe and made-up rules so they can recover a robust faith. Everything is clean to the clean-minded; nothing is clean to dirty-minded unbelievers. They leave their dirty fingerprints on every thought and act. They say they know God, but their actions speak louder than their words. They’re real creeps, disobedient good-for-nothings.
Titus 1:10–16 MSG
– Reflection:
See The Best
If you find it difficult to see things in a positive light and tend to focus only on what your spouse, child, or boss does wrong, then the issue may not lie with everyone else. It’s important to take a moment to self-reflect and consider, ‘Maybe I’m the one who needs to change. If I’m always critical, perhaps I’ve developed a habit of seeing the bad rather than the good. If I’m always skeptical, maybe I’ve trained myself to be cynical and sarcastic instead of believing the best. If I’m always finding fault, perhaps I’ve become judgmental and condemning instead of giving people the benefit of the doubt.’
Where do we go from here?
When you feel the urge to be critical, address negative thoughts individually. If you encounter something or someone you don’t understand or agree with, try not to judge or be critical. Instead of being critical, try to see them from a more positive perspective. Pray for them and train yourself to see the best in them.
Our Prayer for Today
Father, thank you for always calling us to come higher and lay aside everything that keeps us from being our best. Please help us to be honest and confront the areas where we struggle with negativity. We believe that with your help, we can overcome and be victorious. In Jesus’ name, amen.
