Do not complain, brothers and sisters, against one another, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door. (James 5:9)

Have you ever said something about another person without realizing they were listening the whole time? These moments catch us off guard and can be embarrassing. There are many things we would restrain if we knew the person was listening. The problem is, complaining comes so naturally to us. Our complaints put up divides to distance us from others. We point out what is wrong with others while simultaneously implying that we do not struggle in the same way. We often act as if our complaints have no consequences yet James pointed out the flaw in this logic. Our complaining is damaging to our relationships with one another and has consequences with God. He knows our hearts and the distance we put between ourselves and others so that we feel better. He knows how we try to take the place of judge, that is only rightfully His. We disobey His instruction to love Him and one another when our complaints pile up.

Instead of first looking at how others measure up to us or what they deserve, we have been transformed to see the value in other people—God’s image in them and His great love for them in all things. Because of the love we have been shown, we can treat people differently even when it is difficult because we know grace has been given to us also.

• Who are the people you are most prone to complain about? Why? How has that impacted how you see them?
• What are some things you can do instead of complaining? Who can hold you accountable as you focus on loving others instead of complaining about them?
• Pray and ask God to heal some of the hurt you have felt that triggers your complaints. Ask Him to show you His way of love and grace toward the people who bother you.