Stop Whining
In Matthew 6, Jesus told his followers to fast differently than others. Some wanted attention for their “sacrifice.” They made it obvious and purposefully appeared weak, disheveled, and hungry. Jesus essentially said, “Don’t do that. 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.”That reminds me 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 laughable. Whenever I saw him he was slumped and walking slow. If you asked him 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 took my advice. 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 need to share their adversities with everyone. You almost hate to ask them how they are doing because when you do, they tell you 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. I’ve lived in campgrounds and had to sleep in my car a few times. But nobody knew it. I was a new Christian and was ecstatic about what God had done for me. I knew he had a plan in it all and that adversity was opportunity for me to learn to trust him and put him on display in my life. 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 rough.I think the tendency to whine and complain comes from a drive to get people to care about us. But it doesn’t work. People shun complainers. We are drawn to joyful people. We like hanging out with those who are interested in us, rather than those who try to get us interested in them.So turn it around. Go to God with your troubles––he does invite your prayers. But when it comes to other people, be a blessing. And you’ll find that the smile you give them will change the way you feel inside.