Edification is essential to building a healthy self-concept.

The Third of three Keys to building healthy successful lives for our children.

Edification is essential to building a healthy self-concept and therefore is critical to a life of faith. Edification is the process of building a person through appropriate and positive praise. Most people experience de-edification, in other words, people are torn down by others either intentionally or unintentionally.

Criticism and Correction are not the same thing. The difference between the two is as stark as the following statements:

1. "You are so stupid, can’t you get anything right. I’ve told you a million times what to do and how to do it.”
2. "Okay, we have talked about this before, let’s see if we can get this to work this time, let me show you again how to do this.”

It is easier to criticize because it is like falling, it doesn’t require any effort. The challenge and blessing of edification is that it raises people and “appreciates” people. When we “appreciate” people we actually increase their value in their own eyes.

“Be the Model, not the Critic.”