HCC Weekly - May 11th, 2026

Finding the Positive in People

Pastor Rachael

For today's devotional I would like to share with you an excerpt from a book that I am reading called Eat the Frog First by Ryan Frank.

 It is way too easy to focus on the negatives, on how that person drives you nuts, on how they don't contribute, or how they question everything. Why don't they do it like you do? Why  doesn't she do it like you do? Why doesn't he respond the way you want him to respond? Why won't he do this? Why won't she do that? Instead of focusing on the negatives and people's life, focus on the positives

 You and I have a choice everyday. Am I going to focus on the negatives in someone's life, I'm going to focus on the positives in someone's life?  It makes a world of a difference when you choose to focus on the positives. (I know it's a lot of work)

I was thinking about the story of Thomas and the new testament. We call him doubting Thomas. Why? Because he said, I'm not going to believe that Jesus was resurrected. Unless I can touch his hands and unless I can see the nail pierced hands. Unless I can feel his side. Thomas gets a bad rap. Doubting Thomas had to see to believe. We focus on the negative in Thomas' life. 

But you know what? Thomas went on to say a few verses later, some of the most powerful words about Jesus. He said, You are my Lord and my God. You are my Lord and my God. Some powerful, powerful words.

 Now, for instance, I want you to think about the people around you. I want you to think about the people God has placed in your life. Do you focus on the negative? Oh, that's doubting Thomas. Or do you focus on the positives? You know what, he or she said this. Every person is wired different. I found that a lot of times when I focus on the negative in someone's life, what I'm really doing is focusing on how they aren't like me. How I wouldn't do it that way, I wouldn't respond that way, or I wouldn't say that. 

Here's the beautiful thing about people. That God has wired us each differently. It takes everybody to make a team.  If everybody acted the way you did, guess what? We'd be in trouble. If everybody responded to problems the way you did, guess what? We'd be in trouble.

 We all collectively make up the body of Christ. We all collectively make each other stronger. So here's the difficult thing I want you to do today. I want you to think about that person that you would naturally have negative thoughts about. Somebody that maybe you naturally don't like, you don't enjoy being around, or you don't enjoy working with. It's easy for you to see their faults and their problems. I want you to think about something positive in their life. You know, maybe that person drives you nuts, but they're consistent. Maybe that person seems very very critical, but they are committed to doing things right. Maybe that person doesn't say thank you very much but they show it in other ways. Think about the positive in people's lives. It will be a game changer for you and for all of those around you.