Comparisons Invite Complaints
We had our Lay Leader at church give the sermon this past Sunday as our pastor was away.
There are times I don’t remember much of a sermon, just a feeling about it; there are times I can recite parts of it; and there are times when just one sentence or phrase catches in my mind and stays there.
Comparisons Invite Complaints.
In this time of where the world seems to be going downward, and the news keeps telling you how bad things are – if you look at someone and it seems like they still have it all (and you don’t) – comparisons invite complaints.
If you do your job, get paid your hourly rate, and then hear about the people on Wall Street who got part of the $18 Billion in bonus… comparisons invite complaints.
If you hear about people walking away from their homes, being covered by bankruptcy and walking away scot-free from all their bad decision-making debt, but you are eating mac & cheese for a week so you can pay your bills… comparisons invite complaints.
If you are lucky enough to get a bonus or a tax refund or a stimulus check, but find out the guy next door got more…comparisons invite complaints.
But the moral of the parable Jesus was preaching to the disciples needs to be remembered: if you made your commitment and it is honored (an hourly pay rate, the responsibility of paying your bills) – then you have nothing to complain about. You got what you expected and were “promised”. Comparing it to what others get serves no good purpose.
But it’s dang hard not to compare and complain.