The Grumbling Game

Read: Psalm 78:10-22

"Remi,” said Mom, “will you come and dry these dishes, please?”

Remi groaned. “Can’t Dayo do it?” he asked. “I’m sick of drying dishes!”

Dayo rolled her eyes. “You’re always sick of one thing or another.”

“We seem to get the ‘sick of something’ illness too often around here,” said Dad. “We’re about as bad as the Israelites, who complained constantly in spite of all the good things God did for them.”

Mom nodded. “I have an idea for a game we can play to help us learn to stop grumbling and complaining. When one of us is caught saying we’re sick of something, we have to say one thing we’re thankful for about that same thing.”

“Okay,” said Dayo. “You won’t catch me!”

But all Remi said was, “Huh!”

The next day, Dayo walked in from school with a bulging backpack. “I’m so sick of all this homework!” she said.

“Oh really?” Remi grinned. “And what about your homework are you thankful for?”

“Oh no!” Dayo smiled and shook her head. “I guess I’m thankful it helps me understand more of what we’re learning at school.”

A bit later, Dayo bumped into her brother as he was walking to the table with a glass of milk. “Ugh, I’m so sick of you never watching where you’re going!” he said, grabbing a napkin to wipe the milk off his shirt.

“I’m sorry, Remi.” Dayo smiled and fluttered her eyelashes. “But what about me are you thankful for?”

Remi looked startled for a moment. “Well, I guess I’m thankful you’re not twins.”

Dayo sputtered and started after him.

“Okay, okay,” Remi said with a laugh, halting their chase around the kitchen table. “I’m thankful you always let me choose which shows we watch when I’m sick.”

Dayo smiled. “That’s better.”

“You guys seem to be getting the hang of this,” said Mom, who had overheard everything from the living room. “I think this grumbling game is helping you see the blessings God has put in your lives. When we focus on all He’s given us—and all Jesus has done for us—we may soon find there’s really nothing to complain about.”

–Vera M. Hutchcroft

How about you? Do you have a habit of grumbling and complaining? God was not pleased when the Israelites complained instead of trusting Him to care for them, and He’s not pleased when His children complain today. When you catch yourself grumbling, stop and remember all God has given you—including His own Son to save you from sin and always be with you. Then think of a reason to thank God for the thing you were complaining about.

Today's Key Verse: Do everything without complaining or arguing. Philippians 2:14 (ERV)

Today's Key Thought: Turn complaints into thanks