Stop Whining

In Matthew 6:16-18, Jesus told his followers to fast differently than the way a lot of people did. It seems many enjoyed attention from others for their “sacrifice” of fasting. They made it obvious that they were sacrificing food, and they took on the appearance of being weak, disheveled and hungry. And of course, they let every one know what they were going through.Jesus said, “Don’t do that.” You don’t need to let anyone know you are making a sacrifice. Clean yourself up, put a smile on your face, be pleasant and be a blessing to people. Let your sacrifice be between you and God.When I read that passage recently, I immediately thought of a young Bible college student years ago who had taken his first “labor” job at a bicycle factory near our town. I know he had to work hard, but his demeanor was almost comical. Whenever I saw him, he was slumped over and walking slow. When you asked how he was doing, he would talk about how hard his job was and all the hours he was working. Midway through the summer, I sat down with him and said, “Mike (not his name), this is only a summer job. It’s not that bad. Some people spend their lives working these kinds of jobs. Be grateful for the work and stop drawing attention to how hard it is.”He responded well and his attitude changed, and today, he’s working a much harder job in a dangerous part of the world as a ministry leader in a persecuted land.Some seem to need to share their adversities with everyone. You almost hate to ask them how they are doing because you know you’re going to hear multiple reasons you should feel sorry for them.I have a hard time understanding that outlook. I was homeless at 17 and was living in a motel. As a teenager, I lived in campgrounds and had to sleep in my car a few times. But honestly, nobody knew it. I was a new Christian and was happy for what God had done for me. I knew he had a plan and that adversity was opportunity for me to learn to trust him. People who knew me then would tell you that I was happy. Sadly, I think I complain more today than I did when life was really tough.So turn it around. Go to God with your troubles…he does invite your prayers. But when it comes to other people, I’m not saying that you should pretend that everything is fine, just focus on being a blessing. And you’ll find that the smile you give to others will actually change the way you feel on the inside.