Complaint Time...........or not

Another Monday, another day sitting, eating breakfast and writing a blog post on here.  This morning I'm not at McDonald's.  I'm sitting in a Chick-Fil-A just outside of Atlanta. 

I thought I'd take this time to issue some complaints.  But now I think I won't.  Well, except for this, I'll complain about complainers.

Who doesn't?  Everyone hates to be around complainers.  They can turn a good day into a bad one with very little effort.  Generally I try to avoid them.  If I can't avoid them I don't comment on their complaints, as that just feeds the beast and makes them complain more.  It wouldn't be so bad if what they were complaining about was really something deserving of complaint, but it rarely is (at least not as much as they do it). 

A couple of thoughts on the matter.

1. Complaining is natural.  No one has to be taught how to do it.  Babies know that squalling will get them the attention they desire.  No one has to work at complaining.  There are no schools necessary to teach you to do it.  We know how and we often do it without realizing it.  This is one of the reasons that the feel good sentiment of 'be true to yourself' is devoid of wisdom. 

2. There is a cure to complaining, but it doesn't come natural.  It involves the cultivating of several virtues that requires the spiritual and emotional equivalent of swimming upstream.  One of these virtues is humility.  Humility takes the focus off of oneself, complainers are self-centered.  Another virtue running counter to complaining is contentment.  Contentment runs counter to greed, that consuming desire for more, more, more.  You'll meet precious few complainers complaining that they have too much.  A third virtue that works as an antidote to complaining is gratitude.  To state it mathematically your level of gratitude is inversely proportional to your level of complaint.  The more you have of one, the less you'll have of the other. 

I'll add a third point.  When one develops the 3 virtues mentioned above, it helps one develop a fourth virtue, one called generosity.  Generous people are giving and forgiving, and such people are pleasant to be around. 

Just remember though that humility, contentment, gratitude and generosity don't come natural.  Ask the LORD to cultivate them within you and practice them even if you don't feel like it.

Have a blessed, complaint free, day. 

Quotes about the Bible

I thought it would be interesting to post a few quotes about the Bible from some famous people.

The Bible has been the Magna Carta of the poor and of the oppressed.  -Thomas Huxley-

The existence of the Bible, as a book for the people, is the greatest benefit the human race has ever experienced. Every attempt to belittle it is a crime against humanity.  -Immanuel Kant-

It is impossible to enslave, mentally or socially, a Bible-reading people.  -Horace Greeley-

I have examined all religions, as well as my narrow sphere, my straightened means, and my busy life, would allow; and the result is that the Bible is the best Book in the world. It contains more philosophy than all the libraries I have seen.  -John Adams-

What is notable about these 4 men is that none of them could be described as holding to orthodoxy in terms of Christianity.  Huxley was an agnostic.  Kant is difficult to describe, he could be described as a Theist who didn't believe in organized religion.  Greeley was an American newspaper publisher famous for the quote "Go West Young Man" and his unsuccessful bid for the Presidency in 1872.  He seems to have been a Unitarian, but may have been somewhat eclectic in his religious views.    John Adams, America's first Vice President and second President, was definitely a Unitarian.  Yet all recognized the greatness of the Bible.  Sadly, many sitting in church every Sunday don't have the same recognition that these men had.