The Problem with Complaining

A man who decided to join a monastery and become a monk had to take vow of silence. But at the end of each year, he was allowed to appear before the abbot and say two words. After being silent for an entire year, he finally was allowed to speak.

So he said, "Bed’s hard."

Another year went by, and he appeared before the abbot again.

"What would you like to say?" the abbot asked him.

"Food’s cold," the man answered.

Another year went by, and the man again appeared before the abbot. As before, the abbot asked him, "What do you want to say?"

"I quit," he told him.

"It is no wonder!" the abbot replied. "All you have done is complain since you got here!"

The Bible tells us, "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).

Complaining and bickering hinder us in following Jesus. There are times when we have to confront one another, and it is never pleasant. But if you enjoy confrontation, then something is wrong. Some people just want to fight. They are always upset with someone or something. The problem with people like this is they can’t keep it to themselves. They are always stirring up others. That is not the way to live as a Christian.

The Bible tells us in 1 Corinthians 13 that "Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance." We can choose to believe the best of others. Of course, we can’t see another person’s heart. But what a difference it would make if we started blessing others instead of blasting them.