Wrecking and Building

Wrecking and Building

One morning a dear friend of mine made an observation on facebook. It was an observation about facebook, actually. More specifically about how people react to 
different types of posts.She was discouraged by how posts that are negative and complaining seem to get more attention and more “likes” to than the positive, more upbeat ideas. Her  statement resonated with several people, including me.
There are many theories about why the negative could tend to be celebrated while the  positive is frequently snubbed, but I think this is a big one:It's much much easier to destroy than it is to build. 
Think about it. Even in amoral contexts this is true. A house of cards is difficult to set up but the slightest touch will topple it.It takes a lot more effort to prepare Thanksgiving dinner  than it does to eat it.It takes time, planning, skill, etc, but to consume the meal, all you have to  do is show up. Toddlers do it.And speaking of toddlers, it takes some time to fold the  laundry, but my boys could strew it around the living room in seconds. But what  about things that matter?How much harder is it to infuse another person with confidence than it is to belittle them?How much more difficult to cheer someone who is suffering than to criticize someone who is flourishing? I know from personal experience that it's difficult to write a story, but easy to  pick apart one I don't like.
The challenge is to choose what's best. To do what's right. I think that people tear down  because it makes them feel powerful.For example, bullies think that if they diminish  someone else it makes them more important.That is the cowardly way.The better way is  described in Proverbs 15:13 “A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes  the spirit.”I don't think it's as easy as it sounds, but the right thing rarely is.