Seeking the Good-Proverbs 11

Many years ago as I worked in child welfare I went through two week training in family preservation that changed the way I look at people and work with people.  This mode of training followed a strength based model.  One of the illustrations that always stuck with me was the image of Tom Hanks in Apollo 13.  There is a scene in the movie where Apollo is about to go down.  Hanks is talking to the command center and was given the direction to tell the command post what is working.  He was not asked what was not working.  He was asked what is working.  They then took what was working and used it to solve the problem.  The point is that everyone has strengths.  Everyone has stuff that is working.  It is much more productive to spend our time looking for those strengths then it is to focus on the weaknesses and the negative aspects.

Proverbs11 contains much wisdom about honesty and integrity.  It also contains wisdom about dealing with people and life.  Verse 27 says “Those who look for good find favor, but those who seek evil-it will come to them.” Sometimes it is very tempting to focus on all the negative in our lives.  Doing that doesn’t feel good.  It weighs us down.  It sends us into depression.  It gives us a sense of hopelessness.  I believe this proverb is saying you will find what you’re looking for.  If you are focusing on the negatives and the evils of your life and this world, you will find it.  At the same time if you look for the good you will find that too.  Finding the good brings joy, it brings favor.  Spend time today looking for the good in yourself, in those you come in contact with, in your community, and in the world.  Find what’s working and build on it.