“And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel.” — 1 Corinthians 10:10 NIV

While the larger context of this verse is the disobedience of the Israelites traveling through the wilderness out of Egypt, there is a truth here for us to take heed to and that is to not grumble. Grumbling is not a good look on anybody. Insistent grumbling is a good way to lose friends and repel people. I bet nearly all of us have had a family member or a work associate who has nothing to say unless it’s a complaint. They’re complainers and they have the gift of criticizing things that you didn’t even know were complaint worthy.

Grumblers can suck you into their tirade, too. It’s easy to find yourself agreeing with them, until the ick factor sets in and you realize you need to back out the conversation before the grumbling engulfs you like the blob monster from that 1970’s horror movie.

Instead of grumbling, criticizing, and condemning everything, become a good-finder. Find the good wherever you can. Learn to compliment people rather than complain about them. Grumbling is a bad habit that can be broken by using your tongue to bless others and not curse others. Become a good-finder and replace the grumbling habit with communicating the good you see, instead.