Do everything without complaining
or arguing.
One of the most common phrases heard at the
beginning of Lent is: "What are you giving up?" Chocolate is a
favourite choice, then biscuits, alcohol, cakes, the list goes on. But who are
we giving these up for? Are we doing this for God or for ourselves? Of course
we could put the money saved by not buying these items into the Sunday
collection, but do we? Why not give up grumbling and complaining instead?
There are seventy-eight references to
complaining in the Bible (International Standard Version) and nothing good
comes from any of them. Of course, if we have been wronged or there has been
injustice, then we should protest, sometimes on another's behalf, but how often
do we grumble over trivial annoyances such as the weather, which is something
we can do nothing about anyway?
Perhaps if something irritates or irks us,
rather than grumbling about it, which can be a destructive reaction in itself,
we should hand it over to God and think of how many times Jesus complained when
he was fasting in the wilderness.
Show hospitality to one another
without complaining.
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