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January 28, 2007
Woe is Me
Everyone in our family knows how important it is for us to leave for church on time. After all, I am the pastor – I can’t be late. Even on our day of rest, we should follow a schedule and 9:15 a.m. is when we must leave.
So, why is it we never achieve this simple goal? Something always seems to come up. Maybe it’s a lost coat or bread baking ever so slowly in the oven. Perhaps it’s a misplaced Bible, a diaper to change, or at least a dozen other obstacles. We have the hardest time making sure the van is out of the driveway by 9:15.
A few weeks ago, I preached out of the Book of Philippians. The text, Philippians 2:14-16, says, “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, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.”
God showed me that we, as children of God, need to be aware that our Father has laid out the lines of our life. He has orchestrated each moment. Thus, if we grumble about our estate or our situation, we are actually complaining about God. And, if we do this, we live a life inconsistent with our Christian testimony – we are dull lights indeed.
I am sure this section of Scripture resonates with parents everywhere. God gives us children to love and to lead and it becomes our responsibility to set their boundaries and their barriers, as well as to set goals for them. These goals may be educational, they could be spiritual, or they might be familial or household objectives. What happens in our hearts when, after setting such goals, our children complain and murmur? We are understandably hurt and troubled. In essence, our children are rebelling against our rule and are bringing disdain on the family name. Where might our children learn such behavior?
Could it be from us? Our days do not always go as we hoped or planned. We are known by the rest of the world as the most spoiled society to ever exist on the face of the earth. Interestingly enough, we are also the most discontent. We have more and want more—lots more. And when we can’t have it, we complain, moan, and whine.
What do we complain about? Everything! Have you ever complained about traffic jams? What about slow lines at a check out? Did you ever try taking an airplane trip with a tired baby? Here’s one for the dads – how do you respond when you can’t find your keys? Are you as sure as I am when this happens to me that your children must have lost them (that is, before you find them in your own pockets)? The list can go on and on - cold food, noisy neighbors, an unreasonable boss, slow employees, taxes, a poor call by a referee, mother-in-laws!
As we kick against our own situations, there are our children watching – and learning. They are learning that it is acceptable to claim Christ and live however you want. They are seeing first hand that we can be part of a family and complain about the rules.
This lesson was very real to me the morning I preached it. You see, we didn’t leave at 9:15 a.m. My 22-month-old son was sick and plans were altered. My Father was teaching me. He calls the plays, He makes the rules – and I should trust Him to work out the details.
Posted by jm at 07:58 PM | Comments (0)