Raise the Positives

A strike out in the ninth inning when you are 10 runs ahead is not nearly so serious to a batter as when you are ten runs behind. Negatives are naturally tolerated or dealt with more easily when there is an ample supply of positives. Those who navigate the waters of politics not only measure there approval ratings in the polls but also in the measurement of their positives versus their negatives.

Negatives are a never ending reality in organizations and institutions. When the negatives outweigh the positives in any such organization or institution, it will likely find decline or destruction in its near future. The perceptions of negatives and positives in the Southern Baptist Convention have been leaning toward a deficit in the minds of numerous supporters for several years. As a result, the pundits and cynics have found a willing audience for dialogue.

There seemed to be a new wind blowing at the SBC annual meeting this year. That wind seemed to indicate a genuine desire to raise the positives. The negatives will always be with us, but the balance and strength of negatives and positives can be changed. For generations the SBC has enjoyed multiple positives. In this new wind these positives may be accentuated giving the entire convention a chance to breathe and freely express positive agreement without fear of castigation or criticism. Now is a great time to accentuate the positive rather than the negative.