Focus on the Good Points

Rebbe Nachman of Breslov taught...

G-d’s way is to focus on the good. Even if there are things which are not so good, He only looks for the good. How much more do we have to avoid focusing on the faults of our friends. We are obligated to seek only the good—always! (Likutei Moharan II:17)

What does this mean to me?

The faculty of judgment is one of our most powerful tools. If we really knew just how potent it is, we would certainly be more careful about how we used it. The problem is that criticism comes easy…too easy. We can always find fault in what others do or fail to do. But if we use our faculty of judgment to find the good points and focus on the positive, we can bring the entire world to the side of merit and worthiness. The lesson in Likutey Moharan that details this process of positive judgment is known as Azamra [L.M. I:282], and it is the only one about which the Rebbe said, “Go with this lesson, constantly!” Keep it in mind and practice it, always.

A prayer:

Master of the World, all Your holy people are precious stones in Your crown. Help me search for their good points and judge them favorably.