First let me say right off the bay, that yes I myself have been guilty of this! I have also seen some really ridiculous examples too. I can remember one time while at work, someone actually called a Senior Administrator- who was VERY busy- with appointments booked as far as a year ahead, and doing a big amount of employee counseling etc. -- to complain one day that her Diet Coke from one of the machines wasn't any good! Whining has been around a long time. The Israelites had it honed to a fine art. They whined about thirst(Ex.17:2-3). They whined about hunger(Ex.16:2-3). Then when God provided manna, they whined about the manna, too!(Num.11:6). But when we look at Paul's reminder of what happened to them, we see that God's word is pretty clear about how He feels about our complaining:
1Cor 10:10(NIV) And do not grumble, as some of them did- and were killed by the destroying angel.
We get off easily with out grumbling, don't you think?
Rather than complain about people and circumstances, we are to use our words to make things better, and to build people up:
1Th 5:11(NIV) Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
Think about that for a moment. Think about your everyday words. What words do you hear coming from you mouth? When you speak to or about your family, your co-workers, your fellow church members, or the circumstances that you are in, are you saying things that are edifying? Are you encouraging, strengthening, lifting up people? Or are you fault-finding? A always remember my mother had a saying - not an original saying, but I think that it has some merit -- "If you can't say anything good about someone, don't say anything at all." I am all for honesty and openness; one-on-one, relationshps can be strengthened in the long-run, by speaking the truth in love (Gerry, if your reading this I think I caught the "love bug" ). We are to go to our brother or sister and straighten things out. And we all need to vent sometimes. It is Biblical to share our pains with each other. Sharing our pain with someone who cares, or using someone as a sounding board is one thing; gossiping or grumbling is altogether different.
Dear Father, please help us with our words. Use our words to share the Gospel and to minister to people. In Jesus' name. AMEN
1Cor 10:10(NIV) And do not grumble, as some of them did- and were killed by the destroying angel.
We get off easily with out grumbling, don't you think?
Rather than complain about people and circumstances, we are to use our words to make things better, and to build people up:1Th 5:11(NIV) Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
Think about that for a moment. Think about your everyday words. What words do you hear coming from you mouth? When you speak to or about your family, your co-workers, your fellow church members, or the circumstances that you are in, are you saying things that are edifying? Are you encouraging, strengthening, lifting up people? Or are you fault-finding? A always remember my mother had a saying - not an original saying, but I think that it has some merit -- "If you can't say anything good about someone, don't say anything at all." I am all for honesty and openness; one-on-one, relationshps can be strengthened in the long-run, by speaking the truth in love (Gerry, if your reading this I think I caught the "love bug" ). We are to go to our brother or sister and straighten things out. And we all need to vent sometimes. It is Biblical to share our pains with each other. Sharing our pain with someone who cares, or using someone as a sounding board is one thing; gossiping or grumbling is altogether different.
Dear Father, please help us with our words. Use our words to share the Gospel and to minister to people. In Jesus' name. AMEN
