Today, a church newsletter came in the mail that had an article about the "21-Day Complaint-Free Church Challenge." This is an organization that provides purple wrist bands to any who would take up this challenge.
Here's how it works. Each time you complain, use sarcasm or put someone down, you have to put the purple wrist band on your other wrist. If you go 21 days straight without changing your bracelet, you have successfully completed the challenge. So far, more than 9 million bands have been distributed around the world.
Why 21 days? Many studies suggest that it takes 21 days to develop a habit.
Here are some benefits of the challenge:
1. Once this becomes a habit, we are more likely to continue to live in a more positive way.
2. It's radical. In a world that often seeks to tear down others, this offers a radical Christ-like alternative.
3. Wearing the purple bracelet is an opportunity to share your faith.
4. This helps us realize that any kind of positive change takes time.
As we've been focusing on John Wesley's "Three Simple Rules" for these three weeks of our worship services, this challenge fits in with the first simple rule of "doing no harm." By being gracious, patient, and loving toward others, especially those with whom we disagree, we live out this first simple rule.
I'm going to go shopping to see if I can find a purple wristband and give this a try!
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