Gracious or Grumbling?
“Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers…” (Ephesians 4:29). Most often, this verse has been used to forbid cursing and swearing. This kind of language certainly fits the meaning of these words. But, is that all that it means? Are there other corrupt words that we should avoid?
There are 13 places in Scripture saying that the children of Israel complained and grumbled at Moses and later at Joshua. These are the only times the word is used in the OT. Maybe it makes sense that they are CHILDREN of Israel since children do a lot of complaining. We even say to adults who complain, “Stop acting like a child!”
If we look at the times the Israelites grumbled and complained, we can learn a lot about what happens when people do that. Exodus 16:2 records the first effect of their grumbling. The grumblers stirred up the stirred up the whole congregation to become grumblers. Furthermore, their complaining evidenced their loss of good sense. “Oh, that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt…” They even claimed that their lives were better!
Their grumbling continued right up the time they were at the border of their land possession. They heard from 10 of the 12 spies who had seen that land that the people were big and mighty. They dissuaded the people from going in (Numbers 14:36). This grumbling bunch then decided to appoint another leader who would take them back to Egypt (Numbers 14:1-4)! My what grumbling does to a person’s mind!
Grumblers often end up on the wrong side because of their complaining. Korah raised up a rebellion against Moses saying that he was also a leader. The LORD showed His displeasure and killed him by causing an earthquake to consume him. The people even complained about that. They said to Moses, “You have killed the people of the LORD.” (Numbers 16:41).
Grumbling and complaining seems easily to fit within the parameters of what Paul wrote to the Ephesians that he called corrupt words. Grumbling corrupts the ones who grumble and everyone around them. Paul also warned the Corinthians about grumbling (I Corinthians 10:10).
We also should heed these warnings from Paul. Grumblers often don’t take the time to find out the full story before offering up their complaints. Grumblers are also selfish people who lash out with grumbling and complaining when they don’t get their way. Grumblers think things were better in the past and the leaders of the present need to be changed.
Here is the question that we all need to consider. We should ask ourselves, “Am I a grumbler or am I a gracious person?” Grumblers don’t give grace to others because they are so focused on themselves. We are all climbing the mountain together in our Christian lives. The journey is so much easier when we are gracious instead of grumbling and complaining.
— Mike Johnson
