It is hard to focus on the good when we are feeling bad. Or when we have a critical mind. But the truth is, it is just hard to focus on good things.

Part of our struggle with focusing on the good is how our brains work. And part is how our culture works. The latter especially reinforces negativity as our motivator, punishment as our reaction, and perfection as our goal.

Social scientists tell us that we need to hear seven compliments to balance out a single criticism. This ought to motivate us to recalibrate our sense of balance! Because 1-to-1 is not balanced in any way that matters.

The image Jesus offers of being good requires us to understand what isn’t. Our task, then, isn’t to dwell or condemn, which we do easily, but to train ourselves to make that much more good in our world.