A brief November Facebook post dealt with complaining, and it deserves a deeper dig, so let’s open with the passage, “Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe” (Philippians 2:14-15).
First, “do everything” seems pretty exhaustive, it covers all we do. Doing this demonstrates we are pure children of God who shine like stars. But different definitions reveal the inherent complexity that haunts my thoughts. The Cambridge Dictionary says, “To say that something is wrong or not satisfactory.” Nothing wrong with this, and it’s part of our job as followers, “Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:21-22). God wants us to analyze all that enters our life: is it good or evil? If not good, then we “complain” about that by saying it’s wrong.
I offer two caveats to keep our assessment of wrong healthy. We don’t just point out wrongs, we do something to help it whenever we can. Also, seeing all the wrongs and doing nothing can build a critical attitude within our spirit, so we need to also recognize the positive to keep a balance in our lives.
But this process of identifying wrong can easily go sideways, matching the American Heritage Dictionary, “To express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment.” Quite different, isn’t it, and that matches Philippians. Complaining can include negative emotions, like resentment, and can lead to arguing. Pointing out wrongs seems wrong when we have a complaining spirit, a critical one that focuses on the badness. More seriously, what does our regular complaining say about our status as children of God?
In the post I added, what a different world we’d have if all who claimed to follow Jesus followed this passage. Our churches would be transformed. Nonchristians would be surprised. Life would be more sweet. Then a fine friend, Susan Leeper Sopp, chimed in, “Amen! My faith isn’t very strong on this happening. Even “the church” is pretty divided right now, in my opinion. I hope I’m doing my part and that’s all I can do.” She’s right, and church people often focus on the negative: of societal changes, of their church, their pastor, their associates.
I responded, “I tend to be idealistic. But why would God command something we cannot do? We can choose to do this, we have the power of the Holy Spirit, but yes, the odds are low that all followers would follow God's commands.”
How important is it to avoid complaining, in the second sense? That is essential for us to be blameless and pure, children of God who shine like stars in the darkness.
Kick Starting the Application
How often does your pointing out wrong slide into complaining? Maybe ask God to make you aware of each complaint you utter. How can you decrease your complaining?