There is a classic case in which the tenants of a large office building complained about the increasingly poor elevator service. A consulting firm specializing in elevator-related problems was employed to deal with the situation. It first established that average waiting time for elevators was too long. It then evaluated the possibilities of adding elevators, replacing existing elevators with faster ones, and introducing computer controls to improve utilization of elevators. For various reasons, none of these turned out to be satisfactory. The engineers declared the problem to be unsolvable.

When exposed to the problem, a young psychologist employed in the building’s personnel department made a simple suggestion that dissolved the problem. Unlike the engineers who saw the service as too slow, he saw the problem as one deriving from the boredom of those waiting for an elevator. So he decided they should be given something to do. He suggested putting mirrors in the elevator lobbies to occupy those waiting by enabling them to look at themselves and others without appearing to do so. The mirrors were put up and complaints stopped. In fact, some of the previously complaining tenants congratulated management on improvement of the elevator service.

Ackoff, R. L., 1999, Re-creating the Corporation, Oxford Univ. Press, NY p15-16

One of the greatest complaints I hear from non-Christians about Christians is that they are hypocrites and that they like to complain about things thus turning the would-be believer off to any notion of faith.

But, I think there is a valid point in the above story.

Many so-called Christians are bored.  Bored with mediocrity.  Bored in their churches.  Bored with life… because they have failed to live.

They have feigned interest only for the fire insurance, while termites have eaten their souls.  You see it in many of the older churches only because they have become more disinterested than their contemporary counterparts and have settled for just being busy rather than effective.

Rather than complain, take up the call once again.  Not to become busy, but to become effective Godly people who desire a deeper relationship with a living God.