Why do some people always have to complain? No matter what they get or how well things are going in their lives they're always griping about something. Such thinking grows out of an inner selfishness where everything revolves around the self. Here in the U.S. it's fueled by an aggressive consumerism that tells us we should be able to have anything we want, whenever we want.

But we don’t have to live in a consumer society like America to be plagued by the type of selfishness that leads to constant complaining. In the days of Gideon Israel was barely surviving on the little they could hide from Midian. So it would seem they all would be ecstatic at his success in overthrowing the oppressors.

But, as the battle unfolded, Gideon called for the tribe of Ephraim to block the Jordan River so the enemy army couldn’t escape. They caught the two enemy leaders, but griped about being called in so late (Judges 8:1). Gideon was barely able to appease them by reminding them of the greatness of what they had done (8:2-3). In other words, “Look at what you have instead of what you don’t.”

Later, Gideon ran into the opposite version of selfishness at two Israelite cities. As they pursued the remainder of the army they were hungry and, passing these two cities, asked for food. But both cities mocked and turned them down, apparently out of fear that Gideon may lose and Midian’s army might take away what they had (8:4-9). They were too focused on what they had and complained about being asked to give some of it away.

Where are we on the scale of selfishness? Do we complain about the stuff we don’t have because we think we deserve more? Or, do we complain about being asked to share any of our stuff with others? Let's reject both sides of that selfishness and thank God for everything we do have and be willing to happily “let it go” and share with others.