“Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so thatyou may become blameless and pure, “children of Godwithout fault in a warped and crooked generation.”Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky.” –Philippians 2:14-15
Complainers and critical people … it’s amazing how quickly they can just suck the life out of you, isn’t it? Yet we all have that friend or someone we know that is constantly complaining about something and we make a real effort to avoid! If we don’t know someone like this, maybe we are THAT someone!
It is so easy to jump on the “complain train”. Especially when those around you are making noise about how hard it is to meet financial obligations or how mean someone is or lazy or … even how wet/dry/cold/hot it is today! Although, people who complain and criticize everything but are not willing to devote themselves to improving the situation … really lose the right to complain. Ask yourself this, how does a complaining spirit reflect your personal relationship with Jesus Christ? Or, how does my critical spirit show others Christ living in me? Criticizing and complaining to others and/or about others shows those around you very little Christ-like love. In fact, a critical spirit shows very little teamwork in making the world, the community, your family, spouse, church, pastor (whatever you are criticizing and complaining about) a better place to live or a more effective witness for Christ.
God has given each us the necessary tools to make life better until Christ returns. God has given us a brain, energy, creativity, and most importantly, the Holy Spirit to equip us to do good works. Our challenge is to stop complaining and quiet those critical spirits in us and around us and to get busy working together to make a change that shows God’s love for every one of us.
In Christ’s love,
Rev. Pat
