Do all things without complaining.... In everything give thanks....
Philippians 2:14; 1 Thessalonians 5:18
Recommended Reading
Psalm 34:1-3
According to a news item, a man in California had a pet parrot with a lovely British accent, but somehow the bird escaped and went missing four years. Finally the owner and bird were reunited, but there's an odd twist in the tale. The parrot now speaks Spanish. No one knows where the bird went during his sabbatical, but he came back with a whole new vocabulary, jabbering away with words like: gracias, amigo, and por favor.
Life has its odd twists and ruffled feathers; but as we grow in Christ, our vocabulary changes. As we mature in Christ, we do less complaining and more thanking. We learn to look at things through the lens of God's providence and to thank Him for His overruling grace. The apostle Paul said, "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you" (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).
Our lips are the barometer of the heart, and His praise should be continually in our mouths. Today, try to restrain the complaining spirit; in everything give thanks.
