Whiner or Winner?

​“Let our sons in their youth be as grown-up plants, and our daughters as corner pillars fashioned for a palace;
 
Let our garners be full, furnishing every kind of produce, and our flocks bring forth thousands and the thousands in our fields;
 
Let our cattle bear, without mishap and without loss, let there be no complaining (outcry) in our streets.” Psalm 144:12-14
 
In our Word For Your Week the Psalmist prays for prosperity. Wonderful verses that I have prayed over my family. In verse fourteen, David throws in a spiritual zinger. He tells us not to complain. No outcries by God’s people are to be heard in the streets.
 

• In today’s language, David is telling you and me not to whine!

 
I do not like, despise, or even hate whining. Don’t you? Whine! Whine! Whine! Sadly, whining is commonplace today. Even among Christians. Wimpy, whiney, cry babies and Boo-bird’s voices are heard throughout every facet or our society. Complaining and griping about anything and everything is the socially correct thing to do. Or is it?
           

• People are at their worst when they whine.

 
Whining is never the way to win. Whiners always lose because people do not like whiners. I hate it when others whine, others hate it when I whine, and I hate it when I whine.
 
Admittedly, whining is easy. All of u can get caught up in the complaining circus that permeates our culture.
 
Why We Whine
 

• We whine because we do not get our way.
• We whine when things do not turn out the way we think they should.
• We whine because we are self-centered.
• We whine because we live in sinful flesh.
• We whine when we are losing the argument.
  We whine when we are ungrateful.
• We whine to get people’s attention.
• We whine when we associate with whiners!
• The more a whiner loses, the louder he whines.

 
Whining never gets us what we need or want. Especially with God. The Word says “Ask and you shall receive” (Matthew 7:7-8), not whine, complain or throw a fit. Simply pray. God promises to hear you and meet your need.
 
·      God’s winners choose not to whine. They shine with the light of His love in their hearts.  His praises inhabit their lips. Whining never wins anyone to a cause.
 
Whining cuts off listening. Romans 10:17 declares “So faith comes from hearing and hearing by the Word of Christ.” Believers need a hearing with unbelievers. Whining will not open the spiritual ears of those who need Jesus Christ. Christians can win people to Christ’ side if they do not whine. Spiritually hungry people will listen if we act like winners, not whiners!   
 
Winners rise above whining. Mature Christians know that whining is never the way to winning in Christ.
 
Ways to Stop Whining
 
ü  Listen to yourself when you whine. Do you like what you hear? If not, stop whining.
ü  Receive rebukes graciously from loved ones who hate to hear you whine.
ü  Check your gratitude attitude. If you are genuinely grateful for all God has done and is doing in our life, you will choose to worship instead of whine.
ü  When tempted to whine, shut up and shine instead.
ü  When tempted to jump on the whiner’s bandwagon, run away as fast as you can.
ü  Fill your heart and mouth with God’s Word. Leave no room for whining in your life.
ü  Refuse to fellowship with whiners. Misery does indeed like company. God’s will for you and me is to join a winners circle, not a whiners circle!
 
There are two major areas where Christians should cease whining and start winning instead.
 
1. Complaining about culture. I do not agree with many things that are currently happening in our American culture. But whining by me will not change it. Whining will not work. Acting like the winner I am in Christ Jesus my Lord will.
 
2. Complaining against fellow Christians. I will address this in a future Word For Your Week. Look up and meditate on James 5:9.
 
Think about this. What would happen in our lost and dying world if Christians stopped whining and started winning in Jesus’ victorious name? Maybe, just maybe, people who are sincerely searching for truth and answers to life would listen to our message of Good News if God’s people didn’t whine.
           
A word to the body of Christ in our spiritually/morally crumbling culture: Let us stop whining about what we do not agree with and cannot change. Instead, let us begin winning people to Christ, for only He can change their lives for time and eternity.
 
·      Stop whining and start winning.
 
Begin working to win people to Christ. Then we will have something to shout about in our streets that matters.              
 
“Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”                                            Matthew 5:16
 
A Word For Your Week: If you want to win, do not whine!