It's AC/DC for those that don't get the title. So I'm sitting in my office this morning and I can see blue sky to the south and some pretty innocent clouds to the north. Then I hear this sound...sounds like thunder I think, but it doesn't look like it could be thundering. Sure enough, there's one dark cloud due west and it thunders a few times and drops a few huge rain drops. Might be enough rain to keep me from mowing this afternoon, which isn't all that bad, but this one thunder cloud got me thinking.
How often do we let one bad cloud, one bad comment, one bad criticism, or just one bad thing ruin our whole day? Or even worse if we set out to do something and we receive a little negative feedback we just give up. How often does that happen? Just like this morning. I can see blue skies, and I know this cloud isn't going to cause a torrential downpour, yet it is tempting to let the little bit of rain ruin my plans of mowing. I know full well the blue sky will prevail and I'll be able to mow just fine. Okay, maybe I'm stretching a little here but seriously...how often do we focus too much on the negative in a situation?
Fred Craddock in his book Craddock Stories tells of a young pastor who was interviewing at a church and the vote to accept him as their past was 142 yes to 2 no's (or something close to that). The pastor then spent the next couple of years trying to find out who the 2 no's were so he could change their minds and after that 2 year period the congregation voted 142-2 to fire him. Moral of the story? The new minister focused too much on the negative and ignored the positive. It ruined a great opportunity for ministry.
I know I'm guilty of that. I'll do something, it can be anything from a sermon to a new addition to worship to making a pie, and the vast majority of the feedback will be great but if I hear one negative thing I want to focus on that. Why? I know I can't please everyone and I also know that if I try I'll end up in the nut house so why do those negative comments have such a pull?
I'm not saying negative comments and constructive criticism are necessarily bad. In fact, you can learn more in most cases from that type of feedback. What I am saying is that letting that feedback ruin the whole day/experience for you and/or letting that negative feedback keep you from stepping out and trying something new is not good.
I wonder if sometimes we're looking for an excuse not to do something and we automatically jump to the negative. We think of all the things that could go wrong and talk ourselves out of it. We want to focus on the negative because we all want to be like 100% of the time so when what we aren't liked by everyone we feel bummed. I guess I'm challenging myself, and you, to not focus on the negative. Learn from the constructive criticism, but don't let one cloud ruin your whole day. If that becomes the case then anytime you even think you might see a cloud you'll stay holed up in your house. Remember, clouds produce rain which is good too.
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