No More Complaining

Do all things without grumbling or disputing; so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent,children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, Phil. 2:14-15

Each time my family heads into a new week, one of my prayers for us concerns our public image. People watch us. Not just because we are the pastor's family, although that does have a strong impact. But, there's a lot about us that is watched. We are a home schooling family. We are a family that isn't from this neck of the woods. Outside of the church, we are a Christian family. So many things make people watch us to see how we handle things. It isn't that we are unique – everyone is watched for one reason or another. We are just recognizing the reasons we are watched.

As we are watched, I pay a little more attention to the behavior of my children, and through them I can often see areas where I have subconsciously taught and influenced their behavior – and it's not always very pretty.

This morning I had to think about my attitude. As I look back over the past week, I have come face to face with how much I gripe and complain. It's not so much being in a dispute with someone as it is complaining about this circumstance or that incident. I complain freely in front of my children. And, I guarantee you, they are learning.

I cannot tell you how strongly this has hit my heart this morning. Oh how I must stop griping and complaining! Oh how I must be more joyful and positive! Oh how my vocal interaction about a circumstance, incident, or person must be filled with prayer and rejoicing, not griping and complaining!

I am challenged to see a change this week in my own words. To be very attentive to how much I complain. To make it a point to close my mouth if I am beginning to gripe. And my prayer is that the result of this attentiveness to my words will be a greater rejoicing in all things. After all, it's hard to complain when I'm in the middle of rejoicing!