Kev's Column: Pet Peeves

Pet Peeves & Complaining

I was in a staff meeting at the New Life Girls’ Home recently and we were lamenting about a recent rough period we’d all come through. Just to blow off steam, I suggested we all list our “pet peeves”. Now, while they were specific to our jobs, I was amazed at how easily the words flowed.

Very little thought needed to be put into each person’s list of the most annoying things. What’s even more amazing is that this is not a group of complaining people. The staff out at the Home is accustomed to rolling with the punches and facing every situation with vigor and energy. But still, they knew what little things annoy them and took great pleasure in the opportunity to share the list.

So... if I were to ask you what your pet peeve list is, what would you say? Slow drivers? Long checkout lines? The impossible to open packaging on CDs? Summer road construction? Shopping carts left loose in the parking lot?

We all have a list. Things bother us – little things. Little niggly, annoying things. I’m not talking about the major complaints: the price of gas, the cold in winter and heat in summer, the government's position on a specific issue. I’m talking about the little “fly in the ointment” annoyances.

For me, I’ve got a few pet peeves that always come up: tall people sitting in front of you. Is it a hard principle to remember: Short people in front – tall people in back. Another pet peeve of mine would be the kids leaving lights on throughout the house. Or how about this one: radio stations that don’t let you know the name of the song that was just played? How are we supposed to run out and buy the CD if we don’t know who was just singing?

So what do we do with all these pet peeves? Well, for some of us they’re not really a big deal – they don’t consume us or fill us with rage. They really are like little insects buzzing about our face. We should, however, treat them the same way, swat them away and move on. For others, an annoying thing like a pet peeve can take root and lead to a serious atmosphere of complaining. And that my friend, is not a pretty sight. If you’re a Christian, let’s call it what it is: sin. The Bible says, in Philippians 2: “In everything you do, stay away from complaining and arguing... You are to live clean, innocent lives as children of God... Let your lives shine brightly before them.” If you are not a Christian, and are still trying to figure out where you’re at with this whole “relationship with God” thing, let me tell you this: complaining is unpleasant. It says to other people: my opinion must be shared and you must listen to it. Sounds kind of selfish, eh?

Let me leave you with this short poem by James Whitcomb Riley:

It is no use to grumble and complain;
It's just as cheap and easy to rejoice;
When God sorts out the weather and sends rain -
Why, rain's my choice.

© 2006 Kevin Stenhouse

Kevin Stenhouse is Executive Director of New Life Girls’ Home in Consecon, a ministry providing a safe place for young women coming out of addictive or abusive lifestyles.