Thursday, 14 January 2021

Do not grumble

 

Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door! -James 5:9

 

People can be hard to get along with. We all have our quirks and strangeness. We can all get on each others nerves. We are all sinners and we all have flaws.

 

Grumbling does not seem like that big a deal. It is not attacking or degrading. Its just that little grumble, that murmering, that little under the breath mumbling. That’s surely not right, but is it worthy of condemnation?

 

It is, of course, worthy of condemnation. It is another of form of judging. It is judging people by how they meet up to my standards.

 

Grumbling does no good. It hurts my fellowship with the person, it effects my relationship between me and the person I am grumbling to, and it affects the relationship between the person I am grumbling about and the person I am grumbling to.

 

Dr Suess put it perfectly when he wrote ‘don’t grumble, don't stew.’ That applies to any situation, but it especially important when we talk about grumbling about others.

Grumbling about another is a pretty rotten thing to do. Especially since I am sure I give others plenty to grumple about me. 

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