No Room For Complainers

No Room for Complainers

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

I’m sure you’re not guilty of complaining about your boss or the owner of your company. But believe it or not, some people complain about a lot of things. I certainly have. And so have my children. They’ve gotten better about being obedient, but sometimes they feel the need to voice their displeasure before they do what they’re told. Let’s admit it: all too often, we live in a society of complainers.

The apostle Paul is right. We’d definitely stand out if we didn’t complain about everything like everyone else does, whether it be rising gas prices or a mistake in our take-out order. We’d certainly be “bright lights.” It’s hard to hide or blend in or be part of a group of complainers when you don’t think the same way. Who knows? If we stay focused on the positive, perhaps our energy and enthusiasm will change those around us. Perhaps we can remind them of some of the benefits they are overlooking—like being employed in a hurting job market, working in a comfortable environment, and getting a regular paycheck.

Maybe we could put our heads together to figure out how to make the current situation better, something my father always encouraged me to do. The key is to focus on the positives, not the negatives. I agree with Winston Churchill, who said, “For myself I am an optimist—it does not seem to be much use being anything else.”

When I was coaching in Tampa Bay, I remember venting at the officials during a game with the New York Giants as we were heading into the locker room—I was totally frustrated at a call they made right at the end of the game. I commented on it afterward to the media.

The next day I apologized to the officials publicly. I knew that people watched me as an example of someone who didn’t complain, and I’d totally blown it in that moment when I vented. I felt it only appropriate to apologize to the officials publicly, since my actions were public.

Uncommon Key > Rather than complaining about a situation, try to count the blessings in it, and then be a positive force to make things better.