Lately I’ve been hearing some things that really alarm me.
And I’m not kidding. As of late I’ve had my spiritual antennae up and I’m hearing grumbling out there, I’m hearing complaining and murmuring. Everybody seems to have a gripe or a complaint or feels victimized – and I tell you what, it’s awful! I’m Joni Eareckson Tada and I was at Macy’s last weekend and I couldn’t believe the way the shopper in front of me at the checkout counter was complaining to the sales clerk – she had brought in a blouse to return (something about bad stitching on a sleeve or something) and this lady was raking the clerk up one side and down the other. Which, to me, was so unnecessary – I mean, Macy’s was ready to take the blouse back – that was no problem – and the sales clerk wasn’t responsible for the problem with the stitches in the sleeve. I thought: “Oh my goodness, our society is really in trouble when we can’t even show a little civility.”
But, you know, it’s not just society. You know it’s true for us Christians too, don’t you? We come out of church Sunday morning, get in the car, and the first thing we do is start picking apart the sermon, or complaining about the Sunday school teacher, we don’t like the music.
Well, if any of us fall into this camp – and I have a feeling more of us do than don’t – then just consider this little warning from the book of Jude. Jude is talking about the Lord coming back with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones to judge everyone. And let me pick it up in the 14th verse where it says that God will come, “to convict all the ungodly of all the ungodly acts they have done in the ungodly way, and of all the harsh words ungodly sinners have spoken against [God]. These men are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage.”
Whoa, that is scary because the word “ungodly” in this passage in Jude is used four – count them – four times to describe not murderers, not adulterers, but grumblers and faultfinders. Now, you might think your gripe might be justified, but when it comes to God’s people – the church – please double-check to make sure your concerns are legitimate, and you’re not just giving voice to a complaining spirit. Examine your heart. Are you expressing your complaints to the right people, in the right way, for the right reasons?
Look, I think you’d agree – you don’t want to be classed in that passage from the book of Jude. You don’t want Jesus to come back with all his holy ones and call you out for having spoken against the Father – you don’t want to be labeled a grumbler and a faultfinder or be known for flattering others for your own advantage. Rather, join me in examining your heart, let’s hold our tongue, and let’s be patient with others, especially others in the household of God.
And if you need a little help doing that, I’ve written a little booklet I’ve called simply Patience. It’s yours for the asking; all you have to do is go online today and click on joniandfriendsradio.org – in fact, why don’t you set joniandfriendsradio.org under your favorites (I’ve always got good things I love sending to you and the rest of my friends listening). Finally, also please remember what James 3 says about holding your tongue – friend, put to death any spirit of complaint and instead, as a Christian do what delights the Father: keep offering words of victory and healing and help and hope. Until next time on Joni and Friends, remember that’s what godly people do.
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