How to stop complaining - Part 3

The kids and I continue to talk about 'complaining' at the breakfast table, today we looked at 'complaining' as it relates to pride.

Pride is thinking of ourselves higher than we ought.

I think there are two ways we complain related to pride:

1) Sometimes we complain because we have to do things that we think are beneath us.

2) Sometimes we complain because we think we deserve better than what we got.

In his "Character Matrix" Erwin McManus says the first antidote for pride is humility.

Seeing ourselves rightly. Take a second, let pride dissipate, and do that thing we think is beneath us. Or if you're feeling like gosh darn I deserve more or better than this, think of Jesus. He deserved a way better life than to die on a cross.

How to stop complaining - part 2

Talked with the kids some more this morning about complaining.

As I mentioned yesterday, we're looking at 'complaining' through Erwin McManus' "Character Matrix" which says that character problems are rooted in three things: greed, foolishness, and pride.

Today we looked at how 'complaining' is 'foolishness'.

2 thoughts:

1) Complaining (especially about our lack of whatever) is foolish because it indicates that we don't trust God.

2) Complaining is foolish because it's just not good for us. As Christ-followers we live in light, not in the glumness of griping. We know the Prince of Peace. Our Father made everything and loves us immensely. Complaining simply has no place in our lives.

Erwin says that the antidote to counteract foolishness is faithfulness.

Faithfulness means: Just do it. Decide today to live right.

So we must be faithful today to just stop complaining. If we fail today (and we probably will) we get up tomorrow and try again to be faithful to stop complaining.

The bonus in all of this..........
If we stop complaining we'll feel better and we'll be brighter lights to transform a hurting world.

How to stop complaining - Part 1

A week ago today, I started leading the kids through a 20 minute time either reading a Bible story or teaching a Biblical lesson before school.

This week we are working on how to stop complaining. I say we (not just the kids)... we are in this together!

Anyway... I'm helping the kids view complaining through Erwin's "Character Matrix".

Erwin sees character problems as rooted in three things: greed, foolishness, and pride

So the first question to ask is how can complaining be greed?

Common complaints around our house:
"It's too hot" - greed for perfect comfort
"Mom is taking too long" - greed for doing exactly what we want when we want to do it
"Aawww... I don't like that dinner" - greed for the perfect thing in our stomachs

The first antidote for greed? Gratitude. What happens to our complaints when gratitude is applied?

"It's too hot" become "I'm so thankful it's not 110 or 40 below"
"Mom is taking too long with grandma" becomes "I'm thankful that grandma is nearby"
"Aawww... I don't like that dinner" becomes "I'm sure thankful I have any food at all"