Philippians 2.14-15
“Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.”
Unfortunately, it happens all the time. You’ve seen it. You’ve experienced it. You’ve done it. We all have. It happens in organizations and on teams and in churches. It even happens in marriages and families. It’s called many things: Gossip, backbiting, blaming, complaining, whining. James called it “grumbling.” In other parts of scripture it is called “murmuring” or simply “complaining.”
As I said yesterday, we call it BCD: blame, complain, defend. The command of scripture is very straightforward: Don’t do it.
When we grumble against one another, we demonstrate a lack of trust in God and a lack of love toward others. When we grumble against one another, we are exalting ourselves and sitting in judgment over them. Jesus warned against this when he said, “Do not judge lest you be judged.”
James gives exactly the same warning: “Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door.” (James 5.9)
This is not about constructive criticism or accountability. We must hold each other accountable, and there are times when critique and feedback are essential (sometimes very uncomfortable feedback.) In fact, James is doing that very thing in his epistle.
The kind of grumbling James is talking about is complaining that is self-oriented BCD. It is complaining because you aren’t getting what you want from the Lord or from other people. BCD is disobedient to God and dismissive of others.
The Lord does not like grumbling and complaining. Consider how God responded to the Israelites when they grumbled and complained in the wilderness of Sinai:
“And the people complained in the hearing of the Lord about their misfortunes, and when the Lord heard it, his anger was kindled, and the fire of the Lord burned among them and consumed some outlying parts of the camp.” (Numbers 11.1)
BCD is a monumental waste of time. It doesn’t achieve goals, solve problems, or improve relationships. And God forbids it. So let’s stop doing it.
