Rockin' Along

Sometimes your life is just rockin’ along and everything seems fine.  You have a full life with family, church, work, clubs.  You like the majority of people that you come in contact with in your full rockin’ life. 

And then, just a wee bit at first, you begin to see cracks.  You vaguely notice that one of your co-workers is complaining a lot.  And as the days go by, because your attention has been called to it, you notice that your co-worker complains a whole lot.  Little things, really.  It’s too hot or it’s too cold.  The light in the bathroom isn’t working.  Foodland’s chicken fingers aren’t as good as they used to be. 

And then, to beat that, you start noticing other people complaining a lot.  Family members are pointing out various deficiencies you may or may not have, something dear to your heart at church is scorned by others, your meeting with your club is filled with venting by numerous people on copious topics.  Gripe, gripe, gripe.

And then, when you think you can’t stand it another minute, you notice that you are complaining the very most about the greatest number of things.  Wow!  What a downer.  What happened?  Life was going along just grand until all this started.

But the thing is that it didn’t just start when you began hearing it.  Oh, no.  It’s been around your whole life.  And, yes, you’ve been adding to it all that time.

The reason I know all this about you is because this is really about me.  I’m the co-worker who can find fault in anything; I’m the one who is pointing things out to family members; I’m the one who shares my compelling opinion at church, trashing someone else’s idea; I’m the one that goes from group to group venting my little heart out.

But even worse than that – no, I believe it’s sadder than that -- I agree with what most other folks are saying as they are complaining and venting and dissing.  Wow!  A double downer.

It brings to mind a bit of advice from the Apostle Paul:

Why do you criticize and pass judgment on your brother?  Or you, why do you look down upon or despise your brother?  For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God.                                   Romans 14:10

Ouch!  Did that hurt you as much as it did me?  We’ve got some work to do, don’t we?

Again from Paul:  Then let us no more criticize and blame and pass judgment on one another, but rather decide and endeavor never to put a stumbling block or an obstacle or a hindrance in the way of a brother.  Romans 14:13

So instead of complaining, lets:  Welcome and receive to your hearts one another, then, even as Christ has welcomed and received you, for the glory of God.   Romans 15:7

Now, that makes for a full rockin’ life..