Guiding Lights

Sometimes we need someone to knock some sense into us.

I think it is interesting how we react to feedback. On the one side, we can get upset. On the other, we can be grateful.

I'm in the middle of it now. I just finished writing a letter to help someone get out on parole. The idea being that my reference goes a long way in saying this person is a good person and will play nice and stop making bad choices. That certainly is my hope.

There is a proverb that says "Whoever abandons the right path will be severely disciplined. Whoever hates correction will die."

Harsh. But perhaps that is why we call prisons "correctional facilities." Honestly, I've hired criminals who are changed - "I never want to go back." And I've talked to criminals who say "It was pretty good in there - way better than out here."

Well my challenge for today is that we love on people before they get to a point of doing something stupid. I've said it before, people are sold on ideas that they think will bring them pleasure. But honestly, I think people want to be connected.

There is only so much one person can do. But last I counted, there are more "good guys" than "bad guys." So if each of the good guys would make a point of helping connect the down and outs, where could we be?

And this is where the tough love comes in. Words from a friend can be trusted. Sometimes we need to become a friend first in order to be able to knock some sense into someone. Better a friend than a correctional facility.