Ouch! Are you serious, Paul?! EVERYTHING?! The rest of the passage explains why...so that we will shine as God's children in a dark world. The implication is that as we do "everything" without complaining or arguing - King James version says "without murmuring," we will stand out. Why? Perhaps because complaining and arguing is the norm and the absence of it will cause people to take notice!
I've done my fair share of complaining AND arguing! I'm not alone. I have noticed more, of late, that we are such an impatient people, especially here in the US. We are so accustomed to having everything at our fingertips, we become irritated when it takes a little longer for our waiter to serve our meal, our light to turn green, or when someone interrupts our day. We have things to DO! I faciliate the new hire orientations for our office and, being a global company, I have the privilege of meeting and working with people from all over the world. I have to say I see a difference in some that come from outside the US in this area. They are not as easily or quickly agitated by small inconveniences, on average, as those of us who call our native country the wonderful USA. We want it fast - and hurry up! (:
That little member of our bodies, the tongue, is once again shown to have the potential for much good or all that is destructive and I am encouraged by the wisdome of God's Word, today, to first of all work on my "inside" which will, for the most part, produce what comes out my mouth...and because I am oh so human and many thoughts pass through my mind in a day, to be sure my filter is firmly in place between my brain and my mouth! First, think good thoughts and then speak good things!
Still Climbing,
Cher
