WITHOUT COMPLAINING

“Do everything without
complaining and arguing,
so that no one can criticize you.
Live clean, innocent lives
as children of God,
shining like bright lights in a world
full of crooked and perverse people.”
Philippians 2:14-15 NLT
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At times all of us complain about the weather – the traffic – our work load or whatever “gets our goat” at the moment. But some people complain none stop - about anything and everything. A constant complainer can be as annoying as “a dripping faucet.” We all prefer the company of people who are more positive and see their glass as “half full rather than half empty.” God miraculously provided Israel with daily “manna” in the desert, but they kept on complaining about it. “So the Lord sent poisonous snakes among the people, and many were bitten and died.” God sees continuous complaining as sin!

Israel was complaining that they didn’t have the food they had in Egypt, ignoring that they had been delivered from slavery. All of us need to focus more on what we have rather than on what we don’t have. As believers we have been set free from spiritual slavery, and gratitude should dominate every facet of our life. Complaining reveals a selfish, ungrateful attitude. When we get our eyes off of our wants, and begin to focus on what we have – enough to eat – a roof over our heads – a family - transportation – a measure of health – living in a free country and on and on – gratitude to God will begin to flow.

We live in a fallen society with chronic complaining at every hand, but if we Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, doing everything without complaining and arguing . . .we will shine like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. That will be pleasing to our Lord and bring gratitude and joy to our own hearts.