Complaining and Disputing

Complaining and Disputing

If there is any group or race of people mentioned in the Scriptures, whom we could describe as congenital complainers and murmurers, they are none other than the Hebrew people, the chosen race. A cursory reading of the Old Testament beginning in Exodus  would show that God’s people consistently complained and grumbled despite the greatest manifestation of God’s power and protection  in their journey to the land of promise. And when the people complained it displeased the Lord.      

In the book of Philippians the brilliant Apostle Paul of Tarsus wrote a powerful treatise on the subject of complaining and murmuring. This great Saint of  Christ was perhaps moved by what he saw in the attitude of the new believers during his day. He saw the innate complaining attitude of the Israelites repeat itself even among Christians both Jew and Gentiles.  Here St. Paul reminds us how we should conduct ourselves as men and women of God. 

I dare  say and I hope I am wrong, that we Filipinos are second to none when it comes to criticizing others and denouncing everything or opposing everyone that we have forgotten to practice the virtue of acceptance and approval. Just to give you an idea, if you open your TV set and view the local news or the wide assortment of talk shows, it is likely that you will hear one politician, critic, or person, denouncing, condemning  or complaining against another. Hardly could we hear words of praise and appreciation. The atmosphere  is depressing and obnoxious.  It seems that in this country everything is wrong and everyone complains.     

Life and death are in the power of the tongue. This is what the Bible declares. I recall an interesting study about two sets of flowering plants, where they were taken care of  equally well except that one set was subjected to tongue lashing every day. The result  was revealing. The verbally abused set of plants wilted, while the other set was far healthier. There is power in what we say.  St. Paul teaches us  to  do all things  without murmuring and disputing. 

If you are a parent I am pretty sure you experienced the awful feeling of  being at the receiving end of your children’s murmuring or if you are a husband of being the brunt of your wife’s nagging. The bottom-line is,  complaining or grumbling, while admittedly a natural human reaction should be avoided for it radiates a spirit of discord, and hate, and robs the grumbler of joy. If at all there is power in the spoken word, then the murmurer reveals his rebellious heart. What he speaks ill of, become real, inviting trouble and disaster.  God’s word encourages us to do all things without complaining, to be patient and forbearing to be hopeful and faithful. By doing this we would be described as blameless and harmless.

Philippians 2: 14-15. DO ALL THINGS WITHOUT COMPLAINING AND DISPUTING THAT YOU MAY BECOME BLAMELESS AND HARMLESS CHILDREN OF GOD WITHOUT FAULT IN THE MIDST OF A CROOKED AND PERVERSE GENERATION AMONG WHOM YOU SHINE AS LIGHTS IN THE WORLD.

I was a grumbler and chronic complainer when things did not turn out the way I wanted them to be. This attitude was often the cause of bad temper, misery, and agitation, badly infecting those around me. St. Paul’s exhortation has convicted me to deal with this sin of the tongue, which is poison to the soul. It would take a long process to get rid of this bad behavior, for without the grace of the Holy Spirit who guides us unto all truth, one cannot grow in maturity. St. Paul was exhorting the Christians to cultivate the virtue of gratefulness, perseverance, love, patience and obedience,  so they could forget complaining. A Christian should not stand out as the chief complainer in any situation. It is amazing how a spirit of complaining, could thrive in any condition since the complainer could only see anything the he could complain about. I am amused to see even priests and nuns raising their fists and voices, against controversial social issues. If we review the entire scripture, our Lord, never mobilized people to rally behind Him or to rise up against the rulers and authorities.

We live in  a world where everyone cries out to be satisfied, and everyone is constantly unsatisfied. St. Paul is saying that Christians should be the first to be grateful, and to trust God, and should not grumble about their circumstances. Of course this is easier said than done. But the more thankful is one’s spirit the more difficult it is to complain.

Most of us would complain about hard times, financial trouble, poor health, unfair treatment, mounting debts, even the erratic weather, hurricanes, storms and floods, and blame the government for everything that is wrong. These are situations which give reason to grumble and complain. In this way we are not far different from the Israelites who murmured and grumbled. It displeased God who hated their lack of faith and doubted His power to meet their needs and save them from their enemies. The sad thing was the people of Israel had witnessed and experienced time and again amazing deliverance and protection, from God and yet they had such poor memory that when things did not turn out to their expectations they blamed Moses and grew weary.  

St.Paul reminds us that we should do everything  without complaining or disputing that we may become blameless as children of God. Complaining, arguing and disputing are sinful actions which incite hatred, rebellion, bitterness and turmoil instead of peace. It is like arguing against God. Rather than complain we need to be thankful and entrust everything to God who promised to carry our burden and our cares. He promised rest to the weary soul.  

Image from musingsfromhitherandyon.blogspot.com