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Do you criticize or do you encourage others each day?
Read Hebrews 10:19-39
"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds" (Hebrews 10:23,24).
What Does This Scripture Mean for Us?
How often to we grumble and criticize when we should instead be encouraging and challenging
others to positive things and "good deeds"?
Let me give you some "real-life" examples of what I mean:
I worked at a daily newspaper for seven years as a copy editor. This was an incredibly stressful job, with 3 or 4 major deadlines EVERY DAY that had to be met to get the paper out.
During those seven years, the "norm" was to be hassled and criticized (yes, even yelled at) over
problems -- and almost NEVER "praised" or encouraged when things went right.
Following that job, I worked for seven years (is there some bizarre pattern here??) at a weekly magazine. The magazine job entailed more responsibility as well as a set of serious daily/weekly deadlines. (The deadline pressure was much less at a weekly magazine, but it was there.)
The "norm" at the magazine was almost NEVER to be criticized or yelled at. In fact, our boss made a point of walking through the office unannounced on a regular basis just to give us the proverbial (and sometimes literal) pat on the back.
Which publication do YOU think ran more smoothly and efficiently?
Find something encouraging to say or do today to help someone be and do better than they ever have before!
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