Shut Down The Complaint Department

I recently describe to a friend an organization I had been involved in as having a “culture of complaining”. What I meant was that over the years the leadership had allowed those that complained loud and long enough to get their way. So others followed suite. And then it seemed squeaky wheels demanding grease were everywhere Soon the status quo was to complain about everything. Every decision, every event, every move was subject to the full spectrum of complaints. Complaints abounded[1]. People even complained about all the complaining[2]. The saddest thing about the whole ordeal is that the people involved were Christians.

And it is wrong for the Christian to complain!

Don’t believe me let’s look at what the book says:

Philippians 2:14 "Do all things without grumbling or disputing;"

1 Peter 4:9 "Be hospitable to one another without complaint."

James 5:9 "Do not complain, brethren, against one another, so that you yourselves may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door."

We all can slip into a habit of complaining. But we need to remember that it is against the will of God for us to do so. We need to not tolerate it any more than we would any other sin in our lives. Christian must not be complainers. It is an attitude that is unbecoming of faithful followers of Jesus. As Colossians 3:12-14 tells us:

So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.

There are better ways to handle the problems and inconveniences that crop up in any organization. Complaining isn’t the way.

[1] And I sadly was smack dab in the middle of all of it

[2] People named Barry

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