Why People Are Cranky

Kopp Disclosure

(John 3:19-21)

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    People are cranky.

    Increasingly.

    Everywhere.

    A friend said this morning, "Everybody's cranky because they're afraid."

    I asked, "Of what?"

    He said, "Everything!  They look at the world and our country and politics and schools and churches and even Joe Paterno and they're so afraid that it's all coming apart in front of their eyes.  So they take it out on everybody.  It's simple transference, Bob.  You can't handle what's going on; so you take it out on somebody else.  People who are unhappy like to make everybody around them unhappy because it makes them feel better or something."

    Oh.

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    Peterson: "I don't like motivational speakers for two reasons.  First, it's often just a slick way to manipulate people.  Second, more important, you don't have to motivate Christians."

    Hmm.

    So maybe the problem with problem people is they aren't...

    Ouch.

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    Yesterday morning, in prayer, I was almost paralyzed by my tears and sorrow over the pain in our world, country, the PCUSA, churches, families, and even on the corner of Lincoln and Main in Belvidere, Illinois.

    Then something/Someone caused me to recall some terrifying/horrific lines from William Barclay's The Letter to the Romans (1955) about 16:17-20 that I first read back in 1976: "He picks out...characteristics of men hurtful to the Church and to the Christian fellowship.  They are men who cause dissensions among the brethren.  Any man who does anything which disturbs the peace of a church has much to answer for."

    Then the old Scot told a story: "A minister was once talking to a man newly come to his congregation from another town.  The man had obviously little of the love of Christ upon him.  He said to the minister: 'You know such and such a congregation?' naming that of which he had formerly been a member.  'Yes,' said the minister.  'Well,' said the man with a certain evil relish, 'I wrecked it!'"

    Conclusion: "There are people who take a pride in making trouble and who like nothing better than to sow the poisonous seeds of strife.  The man who has brought strife to any band of brothers will answer for it some day to Him who is the King and Head of the Church."

    That's why God breathed Romans 16:17-20 into Paul.

    Selah.

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    Calvin was right; remembering he got it from Paul who got it from God.

    We can't help ourselves.

    We can be sooooooo cranky.

    We like to grumble, gripe, gossip, banter, bark, bite, beat, batter, and...butcher.

    It's our nature.

    Uh, that's why He said we must be born again and from above.

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    Yeah, everybody has a bad day every now and then.

    Nobody's perfect.

    That's why we praise God for Jesus as Savior as well as Lord.

    Buuuuuuut Christians - authentics not posers - more than less - have so much love for Him that compels love for His that there's not much room left to be cranky.

    Simply, Jesus is the cure for crankiness.

    The corollary is, uh, obvious.

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Blessings and Love!