Everyone knows a complainer. They can find the gloom and doom in any situation. They can suck the life right out of hope. They can slow down or even stop a good thing. They bring discouragement to the table week after week. You get my drift? This isn't a team member or friend who normally contributes positively, and is bringing positive critique.
Here's the deal. Because we live in an imperfect society, there is always ample opportunity for complaints. Life is tough. Like one comedian said, "Put a helmet on!" (Brad Stine) In the life of an organization it becomes like a roller-coaster constantly (not just often). It is the nature of life. So, heck yeah, something always has the potential to go hay-wire. Complainers just feel the need to ALWAYS point that out. Leaders, meanwhile, are looking for a solution without discouraging the crowd (knowing that indeed there is a solution, we just have to find it.).
Complainers surround us: in families, at church, at work, at Disney World, on all the social networks, etc.
Complainers need a hug, but they don't need to be in charge. Otherwise, they will drag everyone down with them. They will stop a good thing before it really gets going. They will stop a potentially great thing before it makes the big curve to the down-hill slope. Worst of all, they will never be happy. Because such is life. Everything is never all right, consequently there is always something to complain about. ---Funny, but sad story. I remember a time when this guy had questions about our church, and he was considering getting "all in". He suggested we go play golf, and we could talk about church and hopefully get any concerns he had before joining out of the way. Of course I went, it was free golf. ---We had not even played nine holes before I realized this guy had 99 problems with our church. At about question 18 (and hole#2) I realized this probably wasn't the church for him. At about question 36 (and hole #4), I realized I wasn't even enjoying free golf. At about question 72 ( and hole #8) I wondered if I really liked our church. By hole #9 I had to quit really listening, because I was wondering if I should even be in the ministry. ---The crazy thing is that prior to this I had high hopes for this guy, perhaps even in leadership. Afterward, I agreed with him that we were a terrible church, and he should search elsewhere. ---Years later, we're still not the perfect church, but we're trying. Complainers need a hug, not a place at the leadership table. Do everything without complaining or arguing so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe (Phil.2:14-15)--Thanks to Rick Howerton for inspiration on twitter @RickHowerton
