Look For The Good

Look for the Good

[Jesus said,] “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.”

Matthew 5:14

Maybe it’s all those years I spent working at the copydesk in a newsroom, designing front pages and tweaking photos and text on the “Life” section covers, but I love anything that’s well designed: interior decor, children’s clothing, someone’s hairstyle. If it has style and panache, I’m apt to notice and admire it. Part of being “the light of the world” means that we express our God-given creativity, and when people follow through on that, I think it should be celebrated.

There’s a scene in the movie Pollyanna where a character shares these convicting words: “When you look for the bad in mankind, expecting to find it, you surely will.” Obviously, the opposite is true too, so I’ve resolved to always look for the good. When you look for the good in people, you will surely find it. It can completely change your attitude and outlook when you focus on the good.

One day while trawling lazily online, I ran across a small web developer. She was a new college graduate, and while her portfolio was thin, it was amazing. I thought her designs were truly dazzling, and on a whim, I wrote out a quick message and told her so. Despite the fact that she was a stranger, I wanted her to know that someone had noticed the work she was doing and admired her for the creativity and effort that was obvious in her designs.

Have you noticed any good things lately? Maybe you’ve seen someone do a stellar job at work. Perhaps you’ve admired a neighbor’s flowers but never mentioned it. In what ways can you begin to not just notice the good things in life but to also celebrate them?

—Kristin

— Today’s Act of Kindness —

Take the time to compliment someone’s creativity or hard work today—call, send a message, or stop by to chat in person to tell them they’re doing a good job.