The apostle Paul exhorts us to do all things “without murmuring or disputing.” The result, he says, will be that we will be blameless and harmless, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, “among whom ye shine as lights in the world.”
How do obedient Christians stand out? This is one of one of the central duties assigned to us. We are described as the light of the world. How should we then seek to have that light shine brightly? Well, not to put too fine a point on it—stop whining. Stop complaining. Stop murmuring. Stop muttering under your breath.
What is the backdrop of this? If we are to shine like stars, then what is the blackness against which we shine? What is the crooked and perverse blackness? It is the spirit of discontent, that of murmuring about everything. Whatever non-believers complain about without thinking, that is an opportunity for contrast.
All right, then, what do people complain about? They complain about their pay, their lack of recognition at work, their health, the weather, their kids, their parents, their husband, their wife, their lawn, the snow, their in-laws, their aches, their pains, the thermostat at the office, the president, the Congress, the Supreme Court, the city council, the potholes, the highway department, the rates at the swimming pool, the referees for Monday Night Football, their savings account, their sex life, their unmarried state and no sex life, their marriage overall, that they have a husband, that they don’t have a husband, that they have a wife, that they don’t have a wife, too hot, too cold, too tall, too short, too close to the window, not close enough to the window . . . you get the point.
This mentality is the air we breathe. It is difficult even to notice it. The one thing that makes it noticeable—starkly noticeable—is when somebody stops doing it. And so here is the exhortation from the apostle Paul—stop doing it.
Hey, your posts are great and all, and it is fun to agree with all your hard hitting points but when they are too accurately pointed at me, well I can see why people think you’re a jerk [Sarcasm] But really, just what I needed and didn’t want to hear.
This is well stated.
One interesting point to note about this is that sometimes, oftentimes, this instinct toward murmuring is the root of an anger problem. Murmuring is socially acceptable discontentedness, while anger is discontentedness run amuck. One way that I had to finally confront my seemingly relentless anger was by recognizing that is started with discontentment. After a while, the time it took to go from discontent to throwing things and shouting was pretty short. We get good at it.
So, yeah, stop doing it.
Yeah, anger isn’t so much a pressure valve that needs releasing from time to time, as a muscle that gets better the more you exercise it.
Contentment and thankfulness are also muscles.
I’d like to lodge a complaint about this post. I’m sure my rights have been violated somehow.
Would like to see your cyber-archeology team go to work on the hidden records of the murmuring Israelites in the desert.
This will sound snow-flaky, but just because we are free to mock people (and just because their behavior sometimes invites mockery) doesn’t always mean that we should. Appeals to truth, reason, and principle have often persuaded me that the way I look at something is incorrect. But mockery, never.
I am always curious about what persuades people. Obviously proving something doesn’t always persuade, and in many cases people are persuaded without proof. What is interesting to me is that the modern trend of mockery is a double-edged sword. Sometimes it is used as a method of avoiding the tough task of defending something that does not have good evidence. This is what the identity politics of the Left relies on. Other times, it is used as a method of shocking people who would in no way be persuaded no matter how strong the case. This is what we see… Read more »
I have often read comments defending mockery on the grounds that our Lord used it against the Pharisees. My concern with that defense is that we are wicked and unloving, and our Lord was not. When I mock somebody (and I sometimes do), how can I be sure that my purpose is to advance the cause of truth as opposed to indulging the diabolical impulse to use cleverness to cause pain and humiliation? My own self-deception and malice seem to me enough reason why mockery is a weapon too lethal for me to use safely–let alone to think that I… Read more »
I see your caution and gladly accept that. Being self-aware of our motives is key. But let’s not think that mockery is a lethal weapon. Obviously it is not literally lethal, but it is not even emotionally lethal. If my words cut one so deep that they hurt themselves, God forbid, then clearly more is going on for which I would not be responsible. When we Jesus and the Prophets using it, it was for the opposite purpose. There were those in power who used their authority for wicked purposes. It was only towards them that the use of mockery… Read more »
I wasn’t mocking anyone in particular–other than myself and the spirit of ingratitude, which flows from a diabolical mindset that sees oneself as deserving of everything and the seat of the universe.
I really do want to see DW flesh out this sin, using whatever linguistic tools he wishes, as it is like the “air we breath” and all pervasive and thus difficult to see.
I certainly won’t claim to be free of complaining. Not even close. But the contrast came home to me years and years ago when I spent most of my time holed up at home with littles, with the occasional foray out to church, and not too much interaction with the larger world otherwise. Then I would occasionally go to get my hair done, and I found the degree to which the staff and patrons complained about life, the universe, and everything, almost physically shocking to me. And I got the sense that they didn’t see themselves as venting, they just… Read more »
Nobody likes a Pollyanna, especially at the hairdresser. It is so important for women to have friends who enjoy discussing interests and ideas; otherwise, as you say, our interactions deteriorate into perpetual grumbling.
You earned an upvote just for that.
It’s like grumbling is our native language. Poor little set upon self is displeased. Everyone tut tut.
But if you are going to complain, at least be this hilarious.
Ha! Good point. If you’re going to murmur, at least have the decency to be cute and amusing about it. :)
The link is broken. Come on, don’t leave us hanging.
I tried to replace the link this morning, but my phone wouldn’t paste it. I’m so sick of this stupid, worthless piece of…wait…what was this post about, again?
I finally remembered to go find a better link while on a better device. Just for you, since I’m sure no one is still reading this thread! https://www.facebook.com/RantLifestyle/videos/392515300911051/?pnref=story
Quit complaining but you can’t just not complain. You have to replace it with something. Gratitude is the answer (Phil. 4:4-8). When someone asks how you’re doing, say “Better than I deserve” and mean it.
Rejoice evermore.
Pray without ceasing.
In all things give thanks, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
It is fashionable in some Christian circles to counsel people to sometimes vent your anger at the Lord, like David in the Psalms. In the first place, I don’t know that David was actually ever angry at God, but he did complain sometimes. In the second place, Paul never took the cue from David to counsel us to complain at God, much less be angry at Him.