Ah, the dog days of Summer, don’t you just love them? Frankly, even after living in this general area for over ten years now, I can’t stand them. Frankly, there are a lot of things I can’t stand. That’s why many people, including my wife, call me an old (even though I’m only 35) crabby German. The humid heat of Missouri is, by far the worst on my list. When all I have to do is breathe to sweat, it is too hot. When I can’t stand my own stink after sitting outside for ten minutes, it is too humid. When condensation from the humidity in the air builds up on my sliding glass window. It is way too humid.

Now it may sound like I am complaining, and I am, even if it is all in good fun. Still, we hate to be burdened by anything. As I look to many other places around the world, including several place right here in our United States, I have a hard time complaining too much. Right now, on the Gulf Coast there are people living in tents, because they are still waiting to receive help. Right now in Israel and the surrounding area there are people in bomb shelters waiting out yet another attack. Right now in Africa there are tons of children who are dying of starvation. And I am going to complain about a few extra degrees on the thermostat and the dewpoint? I am going to complain about the few extra cents I have to pay for gas. I am going to complain that my bed is not comfortable enough or that my satellite T.V. isn’t working properly. Come on! Or as my wife would say, “Get over it.”

As Christians, especially Christians living here in America, we have nothing to complain about. We are blessed with opportunity after opportunity. We have comfort upon comfort. We have more money than anyone else in the world. Still, there are some days when we can be seen and heard complaining as much as Job! What a waste of time.

As Christians we need to get off our duffs and, instead, of complaining, we need to do something. Instead of waiting for someone else to do it we need to be doing it. Instead of looking to our government to help out those in need we need to be doing it. Instead of waiting for help from somewhere else, the help needs to start right here. Instead of saying, “That’s their own business, let them deal with it”, we need to be on the front lines dealing with it.

Jesus didn’t say, “Wait around an let them come to you”. He said, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” The key word here is go. Go and do is the command of Jesus.

Today I urge my fellow Christians to go and do! If someone needs food, give them food. If someone needs shelter, give them shelter. If a child needs to learn more about Jesus teach him. If a widow needs a shoulder to cry on lend her yours. If someone has not heard the Gospel, that Jesus died on the cross for us, then let it be you that they first hear it from.

And if there is nothing you can do, you can still pray that God would do something! You can pray that his will would be done. You can pray that he would show you the way that you can help. You can pray for grace, mercy, and peace. You can pray for his kingdom to come.

God help you as you work on stopping your complaining and start doing and praying! Amen!