Stop complaining

Two groups of psychology students were wired for recording purposes, and assigned a period to socialise freely. One group knew the experiment would measure the level of complaining in normal conversation; the other group did not. Afterwards, both groups were shocked by how frequently they complained. The group in the know complained almost as much as the group unaware of what the experiment was aiming to achieve. It’s the oldest response in the book-literally! Confronted with our choices and actions, we spontaneously start complaining: ‘It was their fault, not mine; if they hadn’t…I wouldn’t have.’ Adam needed no lessons in the art of complaining. Caught red-handed, he told God, ‘The woman whom You gave…me, she gave me…and I ate.’ (Genesis 3) Eve said, ‘The serpent deceived me, and I ate.’ Neither accepted responsibility for their choices. It may be difficult, it may take a lifetime to master but Paul’s advice is something that can change our families, schools and society … “do everything without complaining or arguing so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God …”

Mr Peter Morphew
School Chaplain