Friday, June 5, 2020

When Tempted to Complain

A friend in Nigeria sent a report on his work. I am not going to go over the details. I want to quote just one sentence. But before I do so, I will say that this is a highly respected and trusted brother. He has been faithfully engaged in the work for more than fifty years. I have known him since 1993. So, with that preface, here is the one sentence.

“The lock-down makes many people to die because of hunger.”

Please pause a moment and think about that.

I know that the restrictions that we have experienced the last few weeks have been annoying. Sadly, the tensions of these days have brought out the worst in some people. But do you really know anyone who has gone hungry, really dangerously hungry?

A relative told me recently that she had to use the store brand of peanut butter, because the brand the family normally used has been out of stock. Some of us would take that as a terrible burden. Many folks in Nigeria would love to have the worst brand of peanut butter on the market.

I am reminded of a statement made by a Canadian who worked down the road from us in Nigeria in the 1990s. Jerry stopped by the house one day, about three months after he came to Nigeria. As we visited, he said, “You know, I am forty years old. I have done a lot of complaining in those years. After three months here I realize that I have never had anything to complain about in my entire life.”

I am also reminded of a few other things, but I will mention just two.
1. “Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain” (Philippians 2:14-16, ESV).
2. “He is a poor preacher who does not preach better than he practices” (R.L. Whiteside).