Every year before the new school year started, my brother and I would get to pick out a new pair of shoes. This was a very important day, since these would be our shoes for whole school year. I was feeling the pressure! My brother, Zach, and I had very different strategies at the mall. I could never find a pair of shoes that I liked. These ones were too bright. These ones weren’t bright enough. I didn’t like the way the bottom looked. These ones fit weird. I could find something wrong with every pair. On the other hand, my brother would have a big pile of shoes that he was trying on. He couldn’t decide which ones he wanted, they were all so cool!
I would leave disappointed with a pair of shoes that were just okay. He would leave thrilled with his pick of an awesome pair of Nike Shox. That is how it usually goes for the critical and the grateful. The critical person can always find something to critique. The grateful person can always find something to celebrate. The critical person can make an enjoyable moment miserable. The grateful person can find a way to enjoy almost any moment.
Every day we can choose to critique or to celebrate. Psalm 118:24 says, “This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Every day the Lord gives us a reason to rejoice, but sometimes we miss it because we’re too busy critiquing. This is the day the Lord has made. Let us fast from criticism and be glad in it.