Any Complaints?
I just walked past the Welcome Center and noticed that the sheet where people can sign their names after completing the 21-day “complaint free” challenge still has only three names on it. [By the way, that snapping noise you hear coming through your computer's speakers is my band flipping from wrist to wrist as I write.]
While I’m not complaining specifically, I do want to encourage everyone to continue with the effort to try to eliminate complaining from our lives. Sure, it’s easy to look at the economy, the political landscape, and other things we don’t like and to start complaining. In all honesty, however, what does it get you?
I knew a guy who, whenever someone would ask how he was doing, would answer, “Can’t complain. Nobody listens, and it doesn’t do any good anyhow.” Maybe there’s some wisdom in that strategy for those of us who continue to switch the purple bands. Perhaps if we could restrain ourselves from entertaining other people’s complaints, then we might find ourselves complaining less. That is, if we would have the courage to interrupt people who begin to complain to us and say, “Sorry, I’m on a complaint-free diet” or “I’m complaint intolerant” or something perhaps a little more tactful, then maybe we would be able to wean ourselves from complaining together.
At this point, I’m getting tired of switching the band, and I know others are as well. We can’t simply give up. Paul tells us: “Do everything without complaining or arguing” (Philippians 2:14). That’s pretty cut and dried, right? So we really don’t have the option of simply removing the band. Whether we want to participate in the 21-day challenge or not—and even when we have completed it—does not suspend our obligation to stop complaining.
OK, back to day 1.
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