From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; but the people became impatient on the way. The people spoke against God and against Moses, ‘Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we detest this miserable food.’ Then the Lord sent poisonous serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said, ‘We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you; pray to the Lord to take away the serpents from us.’ So Moses prayed for the people. And the Lord said to Moses, ‘Make a poisonous serpent, and set it on a pole; and everyone who is bitten shall look at it and live.’ So Moses made a serpent of bronze, and put it upon a pole; and whenever a serpent bit someone, that person would look at the serpent of bronze and live.
Imagine a setting at church you've been part of recently where folks began to complain because of...what? Money? Attendance down? Not enough volunteers helping? How the worship service went?
Well, here's one way to bring them in line. (or not...)
Every now and then I have to admit that a Biblical scene makes me chuckle. The story of the whining Israelites has always been a source of a giggle. Led from slavery, they are known in their 40 years in the wilderness mostly for their complaining and bad behavior. Lack of food makes them want to go back to Egypt and then the kind of food they get makes them complain more. When Moses is away, they take to worshipping a golden calf.
It's a reminder to us I think that God's people can complain with the best of them.
Both the Israelites and us.
As a teen I used to complain to my parents about the "hypocrites" I saw at church, and as the years passed, I occasionally heard (and made!) complaints like those above: not enough people are giving money. Not enough people are helping out. Not enough people are showing up for worship. I don't like the music at the service. I don't like the contemporary service or the traditional service or the way we do bulletins or announcements, etc. etc, etc.
The truth is that I've got no reason to giggle at the Israelites. God's people still complain. Including this person.
Unlike the Israelites we don't have to bring out the snakes, live or bronze, to keep us in line. We have instead a savior who loves and forgives us, despite our complaining. A savior who has given us the church to continue to be God's hands on earth.
The reality is that we are still going to complain. And sometimes our complaining will because we are weary of others' complaints. We don't always agree. It helps perhaps to remind ourselves we come from a long history of complainers and yet have been forgiven and made right with God despite any dissatisfaction we have with our institutional church. Can we forgive as well? From forgiveness the path becomes wide open and we can begin the work of the church in earnest.
God of mercy, forgive us when we get carried away with complaints and forget our true purpose as your people. Forgive us as well when we judge others for their complaining. Help us to be mindful always that we are your people and your love transcends everything - including our complaining. Amen.
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