And I Thought I Had Bad Neighbors!

Sometimes, I find myself complaining about too many things. I complain about the traffic going and coming to work each day. I complain about the price of gasoline. I complain about the rain, the heat, and even the dark.

But, when I read the following story from Cincinnati, I realized I need to stop complaining—my problems really aren’t that important.

It seems that one Cincinnati landlord is so exasperated by street crime outside his building that he’s posted a large sign announcing “Drugs & Sex For Sale 24/7.”

John Wallen says most tenants have left his apartment building because of drug-dealing and prostitution on the street.

The large sign he put up last week urges passers-by to call the City Council to help get the area cleaned up. Councilwoman Roxanne Qualls says Wallen has every right to be angry. She says police should be more aggressive about cracking down on the drugs sellers and prostitutes on Wallen’s block and she promises to take the matter up with the police chief.

Wallen says police come quickly every time he calls but criminals always come back once the police drive off.

Okay, about the worse problem I have with my neighbors is that they don’t always cut their grass as often as I think they should, and they tend to park their cars on the street and not in their garage. But, those are small problems! I know that. And, I’m going to work very hard to straighten up my attitude about them.

Maybe I should offer to cut their grass or trim their hedges. As I do, I’ll probably think of my complaints less and more of the needs of people around me. That would definitely be a far better way to go through the day or week.

Lord, help me to forget about complaining and to focus on the needs of people around me. Help me to realize that these problems of today are really insignificant and meaningless.