"Look for virtues, not flaws, in the people around you, and you will find a beautiful path forward in your life."

A thought by Bob Goff in his book, Undistracted (p. 31). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.)

Very good idea.

Bob continues his thought, "Modern-day cynics don’t roll this way. It seems like they always wake up on the wrong side of the bed. They are like snipers, but they are far from courageous. They elevate themselves, then camouflage their positions. They hide in the lofty places they construct, then take potshots at the people they want to exert control over. If you don’t agree with them or don’t yield to their opinions, you become a target yourself.  . . If you play the cynic, please stop, for your sake and ours. I know you think you are being helpful, but the hard truth is, you are not. You may not realize it, but you are a distraction."

Bob says, "I don’t think this is an overstatement: Modern-day cynicism has likely cost the world hearts, lives, cures for diseases, and trillions of dollars. It has also ruined plenty of holiday dinners. Don’t be the cynic in your circles. You will only be dragging people down and distracting them with your doom and gloom. Recognize that cynics simply wear their insecurities on their sleeves and subconsciously try to create a low common denominator. Modern-day cynics would probably just say they’re realists, but I’m not buying it."

He goes on, "You are not without a remedy if you are on the receiving end of a boatload of negative vibe. Every time a cynic hands you a dark invitation to join them on their journey, just hand it right back to them. They’re offering you a ride in a car with no tires that has been riding on the rims for years. That’s why they make so much noise and are surrounded by sparks. Take the bus. Walk if you must. Just don’t hitch a ride with cynics anymore. It’s a one-way trip to a life filled with distractions."

He then says, "Besides, I’ve never met a courageous cynic. Have you? I have encountered a lot of distracted ones who are trying to convince other people to join them. Don’t take the bait. Even in our faith communities, where you would expect to find a place of abundant love and acceptance, you will find people who gather to gossip and try to control the behaviors of people they disagree with by pointing bony fingers and lobbing sharp words in their direction. Don’t get distracted by this mutation of faith. You’ll know you have found the right community when all the talk is about Jesus and what He did with His life—not someone’s opinions about what you ought to be doing with yours."

That is such good advice. Yes, yes! #continuethought