When I realized that things in which we despise in others are rather apparent in our own lives, I began to see my life from a different perspective. It seems like we have a complaint for everything. Usually accompanying those complaints are solutions that would only cause more complaints or just simply a lack of solution all together. Most of us despise complainers. When someone complains about how we did something, or how we like something, or criticizes our effort, or has issue with our motive, we become rather offended. No one enjoys it when someone complains. Employers don't like when employees do it, parents are embarrassed and frustrated when their children do it, and spouses....well...let's just say aren't excited when they here another whining voice in their home.
I'll admit that I complain......a lot. I don't know why I did it growing up, but I know it's why I do it now as an adult. I've gotten much better at avoiding it, but every once in a while it creeps back into my life. As I thought about why I complain, I began to think about how it originates in our minds. My understanding is that an occurrence happens to our disliking, which then triggers a reaction that results in a verbal disapproval and demanding of some sort of entitlement to which we believe we deserve. So, basically....Complaining = Sense of Entitlement.
As I wrestled with this concept, it became clear to me that my upbringing, my culture, my country, and my generation as a whole believes that we are entitled to certain things. Living in this country, we believe that we are entitled to freedom, liberty and justice. I would take it one step further and say that we believe that we are entitled to happiness as well. Due to this sense of happiness entitlement, we think that we get to have it our way and when it isn't, we issue the complaint. But this isn't only true of our country or even this generation (as some older folk would argue). I believe it has been an issue for a very, very long time.
Whether you subscribe to belief in the Bible, you cannot deny it as a historical document. God's chosen people, the Israelites, were led out of slavery in Egypt and into the desert and ultimately into freedom. God brought this nation out of an oppressive state and into true freedom. God provided shelter, He provided food or manna (which is also a necessity for you W.O.W. nerds), and He provided guidance and leadership so long as they trusted God's appointed. They were given all of these things yet they still complained. So much so that some complained that they wanted to go back to slavery, back to oppression, back to their rut. Why? Because at the root of our selfish ways is this sense of entitlement - that we deserve that which we so desire.
It may seem like a stretch to say that when I complain about which way the toilet paper should roll, or whether or not the laundry finds its way into the hamper, I am engaging in my sense of entitlement. I'm saying to you and to anyone else for that matter that your way is dumb and mine is better. Why is it better? Because it will make ME happy. Why is that better? Because MY happiness trumps everything....even yours.
So, I'm trying to complain less these days (although this is up for debate). I don't want to have this sense of entitlement that I see played out in every part of today's culture. Not because I want to be better or think I'm better, but because it's not a product of a life that is truly grateful or a life that is truly redeemed.
I came across a Frederick Nietzsche quotation the other day that says:
"I might believe in the Redeemer if His followers looked more Redeemed."
I don't subscribe to much of what Neitzsche writes, but this truth could not have been more descriptive of me and my lifestyle. When I scanned the past few weeks I ran out of fingers to count the ways in which I wasn't living a redeemed life, mostly because of the complaints that have piled up. I don't want to feel entitled to that which I know I don't even deserve. I've been given one life to affect as many lives as I possibly can, all for the sake of the One to whom I believe we are all indebted. Not in an obligatory or monetary way (although this could be a possibility), but in a form of utmost gratitude and adoration. When we understand this, I believe those complaints finally began to fade.
I only hope that it continues to fade in mine.
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