Any Complaints?

Am I just getting old and forgetful or are people complaining more these days?

I'm not talking about ordinary people, either. It's Christians that seem to have the grumps. In my circles, it's Springfield, or the Missions Department, or pastors, or loud music in the church. And, if that is not enough then they are prepared to take on the world at large.

Now, don't get me wrong, there is a lot to upset good earnest Christians; however, most complaints I heard are materialistic in nature, not spiritual concerns.

For sure the economy is rotten, but that's that not the economy's fault ~ let's blame that one on crooked politicians or greedy business men who can't seem to resist the urge to keep their hands out of the cookie jar. Sure a plummeting dollar or a bankrupt company is awful. But, I've got news for you. The less than almighty dollar did not just suddenly decide to take a nosedive one day or an otherwise healthy company decide to go belly-up.

No sir, 9 times out of 10 some ungodly reprobate ~ whether here or abroad ­­~ decided to raid a company, then siphon off as much of the assets as possible and leave the poor shareholders or employees holding the leftovers. Or a greedy public asks for more and more, and politicians, eager to be elected, delivers all the pork barrel they can and more.

Well, someone says, you are sounding like all the rest. What's your point?

My point is a simple one. It is as old as the Garden of Eden. And, a point that was perhaps best expressed when "Geraldine" (Flip Wilson) used to say, "The Devil made me do it!"

These fellows are full of the Devil. That's all there is to it.

Slice it anyway you want to, and it still comes out all the same. Their hearts are, in the words of Scripture, "The most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?" (NLT)

Man is capable of the most subtle and sinister crimes, including murder; which has most recently been demonstrated by the massacre at the showing of "The Dark Knight Rises" in Aurora, Colorado, when James (The Joker) Holmes flooded the theater with a volley of shotbun blast, injuring 80 and killing 10.

All of this is true. However, I try not to concentrate on the bad things men have done, but on the good things they are capable of doing.

Things like the 80,000 appointments made at the Calcutta Mission of Mercy Hospital where my wife and I served as a missionaries. Or the work of educating young men and women for the ministry, which Bonnie and I are committed to in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and in the Ukraine. I try to remember the 1,000’s we were able to feed following the 2004 tsunami in Sri Lanka, and the 100’s of homes we were able to see built. In other words, at this point in life I think of over 40 years of full time service that we have been able to give to God and man. The Lillian Trasher Orphanage where we served as directors comes to mind; the University of Nairobi were I served as chaplain; the Philippine Islands; and on and on it goes. Remember, we are talking about 40 years here.

There have been ups and downs. At times a few of my colleagues have disappointed me; and, yes, that includes some of my leaders. However, through it all, I have come to the solemn conclusion that when all is said and done, everything else pales in light of the tremendous joy it is and has been to serve.

So, I really have no complaints.