Suggested Emphasis
"The whole Israelite community grumbled against Moses and Aaron..."
Salesian Perspective
Sometimes the only thing worse than the bad things that happen to us is to invest tons of energy and effort into complaining about them.
Think about it. Who of us ever really improves our situation or lot in life by complaining about it? Still, we do…and to our own detriment.
Was it tough for the Israelites in the desert? You bet! As bad as things were in Egypt, did they have “three hots and a cot”? Yes! By contrast, did they enjoy any comforts in the wilderness? Apparently, aside from their freedom, not much!
Still, God had redeemed them from slavery after all. God had given them leaders whose charge it was to lead the Israelites to a promised land, a land flowing with milk and honey. However, one might wonder where the Israelites got the idea that somehow this trek or quest should be nothing but smooth sailing. Nonetheless, they complained…which even now seems somehow petty or small-minded.
Let’s bring this closer to home. Who among us in our own day is not tempted to complain when things don’t go our way, when our jobs, our marriages, our relationships turned out to be more difficult or challenging than we had expected or hoped? And, to be brutally honest, who of us can claim that grumbling or complaining about the hand we’ve been dealt makes playing that hand any easier? In fact, it only makes it more – and painfully – difficult.
Francis de Sales is pretty clear when it comes to grumbling or complaining: “Complain as little as possible about the wrongs you suffer. Undoubtedly a person who complains commits a sin by doing so, since self-love always feels that injuries are worse than they really are.” (Introduction to the Devout Life, Part III, Chapter 3)
Does this mean that we should never raise an issue, a concern or a gripe? No, but we need to be very judicious about those with whom we raise them. Francis observed: “Do not complain to irascible or fault-finding persons. If there is some just occasion for complaining to someone either to correct an offense or restore your peace of mind, do so to those who are even-tempered and really love God. Otherwise, instead of calming your mind the others will stir up worse difficulties and instead of pulling out the thorn that is hurting you they will drive it deeper into your foot.”(Ibid)
To be sure, God hears the cries of those who complain. But, truth be told, aren’t there better ways to use our words…and spend our lives?
Rev. Michael S. Murray, OSFS, is the Executive Director of the De Sales Spirituality Center.
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