Monday, November 07, 2005

Complaining

Stop complaining! Something we hear, but heed too little. Few people have stopped to realize just how much we complain. We complain about things from catching a cold to having "too much homework." We complain so much that it has been integrated into our lives as something normal. It's not uncommon to be walking in the quadrangle and here someone complaining about how hard Biology is or how terrible they feel. We need to just take a step back and look at just how silver our cloud-lining is. For example, be happy you have a school to go to and that you are learning things to help you in your future, instead of scraping an existence off of a barren plain that yields no crops. Be happy that you have antibiotics to take for a cold and that you aren't in danger for you life if you catch one. Be happy we grew up in a society that has good hygiene and education. Also complaining is bad for your health, because it can make you worry which is also bad for you (and need I remind you of what happened to the Israelites that complained after they were delivered from Egypt?). The next time you're about to complain just think "what would my life be like without (fill in the blank [indoor plumbing, medicine, peanut butter, ect.]) And then be thankful for what God has given you in this culture instead of the dirt of others. (I will also state that although USA isn't that squeaky clean itself, but compared to others it’s the best we have)

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1 comment:

Christopher M. White said...

good thoughts bjig,

i wanted to second the comment about the israelites and complaining. paul makes this point quite clear in 1 Corinthians 10. he mentions three things that the israelites were doing and labels them all as idolatry
1. sexual immorality
2. testing the Lord
(both of these we would consider quite serious matters)
3. grumbling

that's right, paul lists grumbling (aka complaining) right along with sexual immorality and testing the Lord as forms of idolatry.

the kicker comes when you read the punishment. this is where, i am convinced, paul is using a bit of sanctified sarcasm. he writes in verse 5, "Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness." Now remember "most of them" means all of 2.5-5 million people but 2. God spared only 2 of the original israelites to go into the promised land. as for the rest of them, God scattered their dead bodies in the wilderness.

i would agree, complaining is a big deal. God's Word makes it a big deal.

good post,
bjigger

9:08 AM

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