The Luxury to Complain
If you’ve ever been around small children in any capacity, you know that sometimes they cry. Sometimes they cry because they are hurt or because they need something, but more often they cry because someone took their favorite cup, or because you said “good morning” to them the wrong way, or because the sun is hurting their eyes and no one is willing to literally block the sun from the sky for them. Sometimes kids cry… just because.
It is frightening to think that older kids, teens, or even full adults have similar temper tantrums. In a word, we have become… entitled.
We do not say “thank you” because we “deserve” stuff, we “earned” things, it’s our “right” to get, accumulate, have. We do not say “thank you,” but, yet, if we do not get, have, or earn – there is always someone to blame ... always a right to complain.
Luxury often leads to forgetfulness. St. John Chrysostom (On Wealth and Poverty)
If you’ve ever wondered why Christ warned that it is easier for a camel to pass through an eye of a needle than a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven (Mark 10:25), cautioned not to store up treasures on Earth (Matthew 6:19-21), and warned about enslavement to our “stuff” (Matthew 6:25), look no further than the mirror, because He was talking about us.
While we are blessed to live in a country and reality where we do not have to literally rely on God for our daily bread, we are also cursed to live in such a reality. As such, it is important to take caution.
Of what exactly, though?
Well, if I had to sum up this portion of Christ’s sermon on the mount, I’d say – be careful not to complain because you have nothing to complain about.
This school year, we are focusing on important virtues, Church teachings, and Biblical truths that are easy to lose sight of when things are made a little “too easy.” Yes, we are enormously blessed, but because we are – sometimes we need to make an extra effort to stay grateful and generous with what we’ve been given.
That may mean having the courage to go without the latest trends and instead sacrificing time and energy to people who need it more than us. It may mean putting down the phone and engaging in real-life communication. It may even be as simple as saying thank you instead of saying, “I want.”
This year, let's be the example to our children that we truly want them to emulate because sometimes they are crying over that spilled milk because they saw us cry first.
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Our Fall Line-up:
September
Words have a unique power. In fact, we see in Genesis that God literally spoke the world into existence. Unfortunately, words not only have the power for good; they have the power to tear people down and destroy life. When used incorrectly, words can dehumanize and destroy. The problem with gossip or whispering behind someone’s back, whether it is true or false, is that it never amounts to anything good. Words also can never be taken back.
In this unit, we hope to encourage our teens to consider the responsibility of the language they use. It will even cover the use of words in the context of a seemingly innocent text or post on social media. Are they using their words to build others up and speak life, or are they using their words to destroy others? And why do we have this temptation to gossip? This month we hope to challenge all teens to consider: What worlds are we creating with our words?
“Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit.” Psalm 34:13
October
Many times, especially as kids, we don’t think we are capable or equipped for very much. We let others’ expectations define us, fears limit us, and past mistakes shame us. As we study the life of Moses in this unit, we hope our teens come to realize that when God is on our side, there is absolutely no ceiling on our abilities!
Our courage is not the absence of fear, but knowing that our Lord, who sees us as much more than we see ourselves, will never leave us nor forsake us. Allowing ourselves to act through God’s eyes, we truly can live beyond our own limits with strength, and of good courage.
“Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6
November
God rescued the Israelites out of bondage in Egypt and they complained. He fed them when they were hungry and kept them safe from the hazards of the wilderness, and they complained. He gave them instructions on finding shelter and even on building a sanctuary so that God could dwell among them… yet, they complained. It is easy to criticize the Israelites, whom God called “a stiff-necked people,” but, if we are not careful, we easily fall in the same trap.
How many times have we missed out on a current blessing because we were griping about something we didn’t have or about how something used to be? This month we will take a close look at the dangerous mindset of those who were nicknamed “a stiff-necked people” and ways we can safeguard against the complaining and entitled mentality… because the truth is, we always have something to be grateful for and something to be generous with.
“Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as light in the world.” Philippians 2:14-15