I wanted to tell you about the “Complaint Free World” seminar that some friends and I attended together.
Will Bowen, a Pastor at one of those new-age churches came up with the idea while preparing a sermon. The plan was to get everyone to wear a rubber band on one wrist, and every time they verbally complain switch it to the other wrist. He figures that if one can go 21 days without switching you will have formed a habit of not complaining and be a nicer person because of it.
Actually, it’s quite fun to try and he gave good examples of the difference between complaining and stating the facts. If you tell the waiter your soup is cold, it ain't complaining, it's stating a fact. If you tell your dinner partner but not the waiter, you're complaining.
My only criticism of Will Bowen is that he left the religion out of it. I know he has to in order to speak to so many people and get buy in, but couldn’t he at least attribute his source? Presumably if the idea came to him as he prepared for a sermon, surely it was inspired by scripture. I sure hope so, because if it wasn’t then the whole point of the Sunday sermon was missed.
These are the thoughts I gleaned from his lecture, then.
First, I really am working on not complaining thanks to the method he teaches. Secondly, though, is that when one preaches no matter how brilliant an idea he might have, if independent of God it can’t help but fall short.
Jeremy
ReplyDeleteTonight at my course at the church one of the gentleman In my class couldn't wait to share with us his complaint free band.
At his church they have a small group studying Will Bowens sermons.
He laughed as he said that unfortunately he had to change wrists about 8 times this past 2 weeks but he is learning to be complaint free.He says he thinks this is a great tool to help him be more aware of his offenses
I need one of these! I'm sure that curbing my complaining (although I could argue that I state A LOT of fact!) would help me be a better wife and mom.
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