Do you enjoy being around negative people? I don’t know about you, but it’s depressing for me. There’s nothing good about people who constantly point out the bad in everything. The problem is negativity is contagious. It’s a learned behavior, just like anything else. How are we behaving in front of our kids? Do we point out faults in people and continue nitpicking everything about them? Or, do we recognize their faults but also point out the good? Don’t we owe it to our kids to help them see that love is more important than criticism? I’ve noticed more negative comments in my home. Now, if we bring up someone’s faults, we have an obligation to talk about their gifts. Read 1 Peter 4:8: “Keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins” (ESV).

Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. May not copy or download more than 500 consecutive verses of the ESV Bible or more than one half of any book of the ESV Bible.

Suggested Reading: 1 Peter 4:8-10