Stop Complaining!

+AMDG+

Do not complain, brothers and sisters, about one another, that you may not be judged. 

Behold, the Judge is standing.

-James 5:9

I used to really love to complain. It gave some sort of superiority to whatever I was talking about. Whether it was about how things are done at a job, other people, politics, food, TV shows just about anything really. I would sit as if I was a great and experienced chef as I would say my Chicken Nuggets are not as tender as they were last week. Or I would watch a movie as if I was a famous a critic and complain about the main actor driving a motorcycle into a helicopter. Or I would even complain about people not doing what I think is best for them but what is what is best for me.

At this point in my life I have a rule. I will allow someone to complain about something once, they get free venting at no charge; then after that if they complain to me again about something I say, "well what have you done to change this. " If the response is I can't or no I haven't then I say then I don't want to hear it. I find it very helpful to do this especially for myself. When I get into one of my complaining modes I say, What have you done to change this? Then stop complaining about it. Unless you are willing to do something about it then it really doesn't bother you that much. Come back when you are willing to do something different than just complain.