"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." Philippians 2:15 NIV

Complaining can really become a bad habit. If we continue in it, we can loose focus on the Lord, and His goodness to us in this generation. One of the reasons He hasn't returned to the earth, is because of His great compassion on the lost. He is steadfast and true.

As the Apostle Paul shares in this verse our purity is found when we stop the complaining. "Do everything without complaining or arguing. Philippians 2:14 I have never seen this before.  I think of purity as a thought but not a word. It has to begin somewhere. Thoughts become words if we allow them.

This is why we are encouraged to read, study, memorize, post and write the word of God. As we get the truth into us, whenever possible, what comes out in the form of thoughts and maybe words will be pure. Thinking is a lost art, I think.

It left us when texting and social media came in. It used to be if you spoke on the phone no one but the person you are speaking to would hear. Maybe some people in the room will hear, but that's it. It's not like this anymore. 

Almost everything can be retreived in some way. This should cause us to be more careful with our words, but I don't think research will back this up. Our young people might be suseptible to this, more than the older generation. 

Maybe God is more concerned about complaining than I realized. Why can it seem to be easy sometimes? For me, I need to catch it in the little things so it doesn't pile up. Worry, doubt and fear can be the spark behind my words. I guess you could probably say the same. 

This Thanksgiving season, let's catch ourselves before saying something that might lead to an argument. Even the smallest doubt about another can come out. Pray before your guests come if you are cooking to ask God to help you watch  your words. Pray before you go to someone else's house. Pure thought become pure words.