Complaining

Complaining

The last few weeks I have spent quite a bit of time with someone who complains about a few things. Maybe a slight understatement. But, I have heard myself complaining about her complaining. Is there some irony there? What is it about people that makes complaining such an easy thing to do? We all know it is extremely annoying to those around us. It makes us look small, childish, petty, and a whole laundry list of unflattering adjectives. So, why do we do it so often? And, since we all do it, why does someone else’s complaining bother us so much? We try to teach our children not to complain. Who hasn’t said something similar to this when a child complains about what is on his plate? “If you are going to complain about it, you just won’t have anything to eat.” Or am I the only mean parent? Those of us who seek to follow Jesus and the teachings of the Bible know that complaining is condemned. We know, quite plainly, that complaining is sin.

Complaining is ingratitude to God for what He has done for us and what He has provided for us.

Exodus 17:2 (HCSB)
So the people complained to Moses, “Give us water to drink.”
“Why are you complaining to me?” Moses replied to them. “Why are you testing the Lord?”

See what Moses said? There is no sense complaining to another human. We are testing the Lord when we complain. So what if the okra is too salty. So what if a teenager showers for too long. So what if the TV show isn’t what we want to watch. So what if the breeze is a little cool. God provides for us. We have no reason to complain.

Complaining makes God angry with us. And yes, our loving God can be angry with us. Unlike our anger, His is never unjustified or unhealthy. When He is angry with us, we deserve His anger.

Numbers 11:1-3 (HCSB)11 Now the people began complaining openly before the Lord about hardship. When the Lord heard, His anger burned, and fire from the Lord blazed among them and consumed the outskirts of the camp. 2 Then the people cried out to Moses, and he prayed to the Lord, and the fire died down.

Our complaining indicates that we think we have all the answers and are always right. We are not.  We have all seen a child complain about a certain rule or instruction, disobey it and bear the consequences. There are consequences to our complaining. If we are not happy with our present situation, the next one may not be nearly as pleasant. That is what God told the complaining nation of Israel.

Numbers 14:26-28 (HCSB)

26 Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron: 27 “How long must I endure this evil community that keeps complaining about Me? I have heard the Israelites’ complaints that they make against Me. 28 Tell them: As surely as I live,” this is the Lord’s declaration, “I will do to you exactly as I heard you say.

This one is pretty simple. Jesus said for us to stop complaining. Can’t really get any plainer than that.

John 6:43 (HCSB)
43 Jesus answered them, “Stop complaining among yourselves.

And this one…

1 Peter 4:8-10 (HCSB)
8 Above all, maintain an intense love for each other, since love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Be hospitable to one another without complaining. 10 Based on the gift each one has received, use it to serve others, as good managers of the varied grace of God.

It does not matter at all what other people choose to do, how they choose to react to their situations, God plainly tells me (and you) to love in a way that covers our annoyance with their sins (complaining) and be hospitable without complaining. God gives us gifts that we are to use to serve Him. We are to manage those gifts with the grace He provides us, without complaining.

I need to be content with what I have, the situation I am in, the people around me. I need to be grateful that God allows me to serve Him. And yes, even to serve the people who complain about things.  I just love to see the humor in some of the lessons God teaches us. What better way to learn not to complain than to listen to complaining? God is such a good teacher! Isn’t it fun learning God’s ways?