\tWhen I write a book, I have a friend who will read it for me, offering criticism and suggestions and giving me ideas. She offers me valuable and positive criticism. We all need people in our lives who can let us know when we\u2019ve made a mistake, when we could do something better than we have, who will suggest needed change.<\/p>\n
\tBut then there are the other sorts of critics. Critics like my colleague Mr. Gruss. People who will explain to you in great detail why your dream is impossible and why it is a waste of everyone\u2019s time. Doubtless we have seen such critics at work in our lives and the lives of those around us. They are the perpetual wet blankets who always discern why a given course of action isn\u2019t possible. The teacher or parent who tells a child that he will never amount to anything. The classmates who laughed when you told them you wanted to be a doctor.<\/p>\n
\tThese are not useful critics. These are the naysayers who destroy rather than create, who tear down rather than build. We need to remember that history is littered with the debris of people who said \u201cit can\u2019t be done.\u201d <\/p>\n
They don\u2019t build statues for such people. No monuments are ever erected to the people who explained why it was impossible. No memorials are dedicated to those who explained that the way was too hard, so why try. No days are set aside for those who pontificated on why we need to be reasonable and keep our goals limited to what we know we can do, which is precious little. No history book praises those who said we shouldn\u2019t waste our money. We do not celebrate those who just said no. Such people lead quiet lives, they often are well respected in their day and most people listen to them. <\/p>\n
But it is those who decided to attempt the impossible, who built the tall buildings, who risked and took a chance, who crossed the seas, who righted long-standing wrongs, who acted for freedom, who went to the moon who will be remembered long after their critics are gone. It is to such people, those who don\u2019t say no, for whom shrines are erected and history sings praise.<\/p>\n
So don\u2019t give up and don\u2019t listen to those who will tell you that you should. They might be right, of course, but what are the odds? The pessimists who proclaim endless doom never seem to quite get it right. The track record of the optimists seems much better. So just say no to the naysayers. They\u2019ve always been on the wrong side of history. Stand with those who shoot for the stars. Sooner or later they reach them.<\/p>\n
If you’re interested, the article I mentioned at the beginning of this blogpost can now be accessed online: The Genealogy of Jesus<\/a>.<\/p>\n When I was a young professor, freshly minted, I was talking to one of my colleagues at lunch. Mr. Gruss had been both my professor and my advisor back during my undergraduate days. I was explaining to him about an … Continue reading ![](\"https:\/\/nettelhorst.com\/blog1\/wp-content\/plugins\/send-to-kindle\/media\/white-15.png\")
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