The Complaint Department

As I see it, there are two kinds of people, those who complain and those who don't. (I'm kind of deep like that) It's too hot, it's too cold. It's too dry, it's too rainy. I wish my hair were curly, I wish my hair were straight. Oh wait that's me.

Wouldn't it be great if the complainers of the world would just march right over to that ole complaint department and let go of them...their complaints...never to resurface?

Do you know any complainers?

Complainers are the neighbors next door, the mailman who brings your mail, the checkout person at the store and the Christian in the church pew. What? Are you sure?

We all complain from time to time, and some complain all the time....
A few years ago, when I worked as a secretary in a school office, I had assigned to me student aids. Not only did I make a point of choosing students who, for obvious reasons, were in attendance regularly but they also needed to be of good character.

And in turn I felt a responsibility to be a good influence to my students.

There came a time, as I often do, when I did some soul searching...some reflecting on my own character one day. I felt that the only words exiting my mouth had been negative...you know critical... complaining and grumbling too much. I had found myself not only talking about others, but complaining about everything. Two character flaws not so pleasing to the naked ear. First, I would find fault in you, then grumble all day about it.

I prayed that night. I searched for scripture.

"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." Ephesians 4:29 NIV

That night I had an idea...

...that led to the next day. I decided that if I could not say something positive or affirming, then I would say nothing. Surely, I could refrain one day from negative talk. But, it wouldn't be as easy as just declaring it, I would have to think about everything I was about to say, before I said it.

I felt the impact later that day.

One of my seniors came in the office and sat down beside me. "Are you sick?" she asked.

"No."

"Are you upset with someone, with me?"

I was puzzled and shook my head. "Why?"

I remember she sighed kind of frustrated like. "Well, you aren't saying anything. You aren't talking much."

Then I laughed. It then occurred to me that I hadn't said much that day because most of what I wanted to say was what I had determined not to say. So I told her about my experiment, my determination to live one day without complaining.

She was impressed that I had decided to refrain from complaining.

When her hour rolled around again the next day she shared that she too had tried the same thing that day, to live one day without complaining.

I can't remember if she was successful or not, but I do remember her telling me it made her think before she spoke.

People complain. It's our nature. God knows that, he created us. Sometimes we use God as our Complaint Department...and that is ok because he is in the business of listening whether good or bad. He knows that we are overwhelmed by bills, marriages, deadlines and tragedies. And he knows those are the real reasons we complain...not the things we make up in our minds. He understands...because he knows the reality behind our complaints...the frustrations, the depression, the fears, the bitterness.

We don't need to fake being happy; that's not real. But, how much of our complaining is actually about the complaint? And how much of our complaining and grumbling is because we just want to make others suffer...because we are suffering?

Now I don't know this for sure but maybe a better way to deal, when we feel the complaint bubbling in our soul and heading for our mouth, is to investigate our hearts for the real reason we are unhappy.

What would our day be like if we lived a no complaint day? Is that even possible? Would it be a quiet day like mine was?

Just something to think about on this wonderful midweek day, I like to call...Wednesday.