Here I am vs There you are people

I had this friend named Kenny. He was pretty funny. But, he had an advanced degree in complaining and had quite a temper. One day we were talking and he asked me how come people didn't want to hang out with him that much. So, I told him the truth as gently as I could.  "Kenny, no one likes to hang out with someone who constantly complains. It gets old really fast." Have you ever noticed that people who complain tend to argue too? Just a thought. That is why Paul told the Philippians: 

"Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life." Philippians 2:14-16a

Someone once said that there are two kinds of people. There are the Here I Am! people and there are the Here You Are! people. Here I am people are all about them. Here you are people are all about others. I think that the bottom line about complaining and arguing is that it is really selfishness. 

Christianity teaches us to look out from ourselves and see the needs of others. Then we get to be the instrument by which God meets many of those needs. But, if you are so busy looking only at your own problems, you will never get the opportunity to serve others and see God work. 

In contrast to my friend Kenny (who did ease up on the complaining) my brother had this friend who was just a great guy. I think I have only talked with him three times. But, each time I saw him he would ask about some detail in my life that we had spoken about four years earlier! That guy is the prototypical here you are person! In the same way as Christians we should look not to be served but to serve others. Even outside the church in our daily lives we should seek to serve others and in that way shine like stars in this crooked and depraved generation. 

Father, help us to trust you as we seek to serve others. Use us to shine like stars in our lives, at home, at work and at church. Praise be to you in us today!