For the past week or two, the sky has been a milky, hazy white-grey, like the misty “fairyland” of the highlands. Sadly, what envelops us is not highland mist but haze from forest fires, sometimes mixed with a burnt smell. The authorities have urged the public to stay alert, watch the air pollution index, and minimise outdoor activity. The haze may last several more weeks and could reach hazardous levels. The bad air is not merely uncomfortable; it has caused some people to develop respiratory, eye, or skin problems. Many are complaining about the inconvenience and harm it brings. Some blame the “haze-producing country” for lax management and for failing to deal early with the burning of forests. Some complain that the Singapore government has not been firm enough in defending its citizens’ interests. Others lament that they cannot get hold of N95 masks. In facing these problems, it is perfectly reasonable to ask the authorities to take responsibility, since that is an important step toward preventing recurrence. It is also necessary to improve emergency mechanisms, distribute masks appropriately, and arrange venues where those in need can take shelter from the haze. But we do not need to join in the complaining, and we should not.
When God led Israel out of Egypt toward the promised land, the Israelites repeatedly grumbled against God because of the hardship of the journey, being tired of the food God gave them, thirst, dislike of Moses’ leadership, and so on. As a result, God severely punished those who grumbled against Him and Moses. “Now the people complained about their hardships in the hearing of the Lord, and when he heard them his anger was aroused. Then fire from the Lord burned among them and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp. When the people cried out to Moses, he prayed to the Lord and the fire died down. So that place was called Taberah, because fire from the Lord had burned among them” (Numbers 11:1-3). If we faced the hard conditions Israel faced then, we might complain just as they did. Grumbling is an inborn tendency. Most people don’t think it is a problem, reasoning that it is only letting off some steam, not committing murder or arson. Why did God so detest Israel’s grumbling that He even destroyed those who grumbled? “And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel” (1 Corinthians 10:10).
Grumbling reveals dissatisfaction with God and unbelief. When God led Israel out of Egypt, He promised not only to deliver them from Egyptian slavery but also to give them a good land in which to build their homes and make the whole nation flourish. But between leaving Egypt and receiving the promised land, the Israelites had to go through difficulties and challenges. Yet God consistently showed them His presence and care in those very trials. He gave Israel clear evidence of His faithfulness, power, and love for them as a people. Even though they had experienced His mighty deliverance and seen with their own eyes how He destroyed their enemies by great miracles, the Israelites still grumbled. They resented that God made them suffer, and they did not believe He truly loved them. They wanted only physical benefit, comfort, and self-satisfaction, and did not care what God’s promise was. Perhaps they felt that His promise was too far off. This attitude produced a chorus of complaints. The root of grumbling is therefore a serious problem, serious enough to provoke God’s anger.
When we grumble about other people, it means they have fallen short of our expectations in some way. Whether the expectation is reasonable is not the point; the point is that we are dissatisfied. When we grumble, we always magnify the other person’s shortcomings, convince ourselves that we are the ones who have lost out or been wronged, and then fall into a vicious cycle that turns small faults into great evils. So grumbling is not an outlet for dissatisfaction. The more we grumble, the more dissatisfied and joyless we become, and it may eventually lead to quarrels. “Do everything without grumbling or arguing” (Philippians 2:14). Scripture teaches us how to break this vicious cycle: “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling” (1 Peter 4:8-9). We grumble about others often because we lack love and have too much self. This is an area where we must keep learning and growing.
How can we avoid grumbling against people and against God? “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). When the haze comes, how we long for heavy rain to come quickly and put out the fires, or for the wind to change at once and blow away the suffocating smoke. Let us thank God for the blue skies and clean air we normally enjoy and pray that God will give us strength and wisdom to overcome the challenges the haze brings, trusting that He is able and knows perfectly how to take care of us.