Grumhling andComplaining

Dwonoxal Rrlowc: Psalm 142.

Bacxcnourn Scrurruns: Numbers 11.

PmurEn TErr: Numbers 11:1-410-15.

Numbers 1tl-O L0-15

l And when the people complained, it dis-pleased the Lono: and the Lono heard iB andhis anger was kindled; and the fire of theLono burnt among them, and consumed themthat were in the uttemrost parts of the camp.

2 And the people cried unto Moses; andwhen Moses prayed unto the Lono, the firewas quenched.

3 And he called the name of tre place Thberalubecause tlrc fir€ of tlre Lonp burnt among lheru

4 And the mixed multitude that was amongthem fell a lusting: and the children of Israelalso wept again, and sai4 Who shall give usflesh to eat?

5 We remeurber the fistr" whidr we did eat inEg5rpt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons,and the leeks, and the onions, and ffre garlic

6 But now our soul is dried away: there isnothing a1 all, besides tltis manna, before oureves.

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August 2Lesson 9

10 Then Moses heard the people weePthroughout their families, every man in thedoorof his tent and the anger of the Lono waskindled greatly; Moees also was displeased.

11 And Moses said unb the Lonn, Whereforehast thou afflicted thy servant? and whereforehave I not found favor in thy sight, that thoulayestthe burden of all this people upon me?

1J|Have I conceived all this people? have Ibegotten them, that thou shouldest say untome, Carry them in thy boeom, as a nureingfather beareth t{re sucking child, unto theland which thou swarest unto their fatheng?

13 Whence should I have flesh to give untoall thie people? for they weep unto me, oay-ing, Give us flesh, that we may eat.

14 I am not able to bear all this peoplealone, because it is too heavy for me.

15 And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, Ipray thee, out of han4 if I have found favor inthy eighf, and let me not see my wretdredness.

Gor-osN Tbxr: The mixed multitude that was smoug them fell a lusting: and thechildren of Israel also wept again, 414 said, Who shall give us flesh to eat?We remember the fish, which we did eat i:r Egypt freely; the cucumbers,and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic: but now

our soul is dried away: there is uothing at all, besides this manna,before our eyes.-Numbers 11:4-6.

Aucusr 2

Call Sealed with PromiseUnit 3: Called to Obey

(Lessons 9-1 3)

Lesson AimsAfter participating in this lesson, each student

will be able to:1. Tell why the Israelites complained and why

Moses complained to the Lord about tlem.2. Give a modern example of people who com-

plain as they are Seatly blessed.3. Make a list of recent complaints and commit

to seeing God's blessing in each situation that hasproduced a complaint.

Lesson OutlineINrnooucnoN

A. ComPlaint DepartmentB. LessonBackground

I. CoMptrl$lrRs {Numbers 11:1-3}A. Fire of the Lord Burns (v. 1)

Some Things Never ChangeB. hayer of Moses Saves (w. 2, 3)

II. GmlvmmRs (Numbers 1.1.:4-6)A. Meat Ealers (v. 4)B. Egyptian-Cuisine Lovers {v. 5)

The Good Old DaysTC. Manna Haters (v. 6)

III. Mosns Gmnrsrcs am Corwunss fNumbers1 1:10-15)

A. Griping Wave Reaches Moses {v. 1O)B. Complaining Includes Moses (w. 11-13)C. Moses Breaks Down (w. 1.4, 15)

CottctustoltA. ComplainingB. Counting BlessingsC. PrayerD. Thought to Remember

InboductionA. Complaint Deparknent

Does your church have a complaint depart-ment? Unfortunately, most churches do have sucha department, which is staffed by one person: thepreacher.

The preacher hears it all. The music is too loud.The church is cold; the church is hot. The serrnonwas too long. There is a misspelled word in thebulletin. There's no toilet paper in the mens rest-

GRuvst INc Rtrn Colrapr"qnltNc

room. Someone left a light on downstairs. The newcarpet is a dreadful color. And on and on and on.

People sure seem to find plenty to complainabout! Traffic, coworkers, weather-you nameit, and there is someone ready to grumble. Thiscomplaining occllrs in the most technologicallyadvanced, prosperous, and safest society that hasever existed in the history of the world!

Complaining has a long and extensive history.The Bible itself is full of complainers and grip-ers. One of the more startling o<amples, &ough, isfound in the history of Israel during God's trans-planting of tle nation from Eg5ptian bondage tothe promised land. The Israelites were promised aplace that flowed with milk and honey. But whenwe read the book of Numbers, we are tempted toconclude that the Israelites spent most of tle timegrlping and grumbling on the way there. This les-son will look at one such incident. By examiningit, we will better understand God's perspective onour comPleining.

B. Lcsson BackgroundThe book of Numbers takes up the story of

Israel a little more than a year after the depar-ture from Egrpt fNumbers 1:1), or about 1445 BC.The nation was still encamped in the "wildemessof Sinai," meaning the area around Mount Sinaiwhere Moses received the tablets of stone from theLord (Exodus 24:72; 31:1.81.

The book of Numbers derives its name fromthe lengthy census data that occupies the firstfew chapters. Yet there is much more to the bookthan lists of numbers and names. It has a greatdeal of narrative, telling the story of the vari-ous advenfures of Israel while in the wildernessperiod. Moses was clearly the leader of the nation,although his leadership was challenged from timeto time {as in today's lesson).

Within a few weeks of the beginning of the bookof Numbers, t}.e Israelites left the area aroundSinai and relocated to the "wilderness of Faran'(Numbers 1,O:1,7, 121. Eventually, tley seemedto settle in the "desert of Zirt' at a place namedKadesh (Numbers 20:1, compare Deuteronomy1:46). This exact location is unknown today, butit would have been somewhere in the southernexhemity of modern Israel, perhaps in the vicin-ity of the town of Beersheba,

Israel at rhis time was a very large group of peo-ple, with traditional estimates placing their num-ber at more than two million. To camp in such anisolated place created enormous logistical prob-lems in meeting daily needs for food and water.The food needs were met through a miraculousprovision of God called monna. This was a bread-

470

LESSON 9 477 AUGUST 2

like substance that appeared in the camp in suf$-cient quantities to feed everyone.

Manna was white and had a honey-like flavor[Exodus 16:31). It was processed in various waysand seerned to have had oil within it (see Num-ber 11:B). This was Israel's primary diet for the 40years in the wildemess before enFy into the prom-ised land {Exodus 16:35). God also made miracu-lous provision at various times for the people tohave water while in the wilderness {example: Exo-dus 17:1-7).

We can imagine that this was a terribly frus-trating period for many Israelites. True, they hadbeen rescued from being a nation of slaves andhad witnessed mighty acts of God in their deliver-ance, But few people play the waiting game verywell. The Israelites found themselves parked inthe middle of nowhere (literally) without a clearunderstanding of their future. Their focus quicklyshifted away from God and His mighty works totheir own plight. This is the backdrop for today'slesson, where the focus of grumbling was the mar-velous manna itself.

I. Complainers(Numbers 11:1-3)

A. Fire of the Lord Burns (v. 1)1. And when the people complained, it dis-

pleased the lono: and the l^onn heard it; and hisanter w,rs kindled; and the ffre of the Lonn burmtamong them, and consumed them that were inthe utterrrost parts of the camp.

The exact nature of this particular complaintis not stated. But it probably is directly critical ofGod, for it causes His anger tobe kindled. God'sanger is manifested as a supernatural_Jtre on thefringes of the camp; the fire is of such a natureas to kill some of the Israelites. It is among these

"fringe dwellers" that the criticism is probably thedeepest, so that is where God directs His anger.

The primary purpose of God's actions, however,is not to dispense iustice. Rather, the main intent

How to Sav ItAnnaneu.Ay-bruh-ham.BtrRsrDBA. Beer-sfr e-buh.Ecvrr. Ee-jipt.Isnarrrrrs. .Iz-ray-el-ites.Kenrss. /<oy-desh.Mosrs. Mo-zes or Mo-zez.PannN. Pair-un.Swal. Sigrl-nye or Srgft-nay-eye.TansRAH. Tob-eh-ruh.

is to get the attention of the people concerning aserious problem that needs to be corected.

SoMr THnrcs NEvER CnaNceMy brother-in-law was a minister in rural and

small-town churches in Iowa and lllinois. Mem-bers of these congregations often included farmers.As a result, my brother-in-law became acquaintedwith various farming attitudes. One man in partic-ular ofteu was given to complaining. If tle rainsdid not come, he complained about the drougbt.When the rains did come, he complained aboutthe humidity. If the corn crop was good, the farmercomplaiaed about the beans. If the beans weregood, he complained about the wheat.

One year, however, everything was about per-fect. All his crops yielded bumper harvests, andthe prices for his livestock held up. lblking withthis farmer near the end of the growing season,my brother-in-law remarked that things appar-ently had gone well. But the farmer complained,

'A year like this sure takes a lot out of the soil."Unforhrnately, this farmer is not the only one

with this kind of mind-set! I serve as an evalua-tor for an association that accredits universitiesand colleges. Ia the visits I have made to differentschools, students always complain about the cafe-teria. They complain about the quaiity of the food.I have eaten in most of these cafeterias, and myercperience does not match their complaints.) Theycomplain about the lack of variety. They complainabout the seats or the shape of the tables {round,rectangular, oval, or whatever). Some things neverchange; the ancient Israelites would find manykindred spirits in our world today! *I. B. N.

B. Prayer of Moses Saves (w. 2, 3)2. Aud the people cried unto Moses; and

when Moses prayed unto the Lono, the fire wasquenched.

The spirit of complaining is transformed into adesperate cry for help. The people do not cry toGod, however, but to Moses. Moses has to inter-cede for them with God. His prayer is effective,and thelire threat passes.

3. And he called the name oftle place thberah:because the fire of the Iono burnt among them.

As happens at other times, this place is givena s5rmbolic name: Toberalr, which meens "burn-ing place." This and other places are rememberedas the sites oflsrael's disobedience and rebellion,where the nation provoked the wrath of the Lord(see Deuteronomy I :22). Many centuries later, theapostle Paul will use some of these incidents aswarnings to the Corinthians to stop their grum-lling {see 1 Corinthians 10:10, 11).

AUGUST 2

Visual forLesson g

Point to this visual as you ask, "Under what cir-cumstances are you most likely to grumble?"

Gnuvsr,rNc AND CoMpr.trNrNG

this regard, they remember having had plentyof. fish, for the Nile produced fish in abuodance.They also had grown juicy vegetables and fruitsin their gardens. Some of the produce of Egrytcould be cooked into stews to provide savory fla-vors. [See question #2, page 476,1

It is doubtful that the people of Israel lovedthese foods so dearly while in Egypt. They arelike American travelers of today who may spendan extended time in an isolated country, and thenlong for a cheeseburger. It is not that the cheese.burger is such fine food; it is just familiar.

The underlying problem here is a spiritual prob-lem. The people of Israel are deeply dissatisfiedwith the way God is toeating them, and they usetheir lack ofdiet options to express discontent and,ultimately, lack of faith.

Tm Gooo Or,n Davs?I am now old eno tgh that I can join the refrain

about remembering "the good old days." I wasa teenager through most of the 1950s, and I canremember the good times that that decade repre-sented. The blue-collar community where I grewup was part of a major industrial area, and workin the factories was good. Our local schools wereintegrated, and there were no racial tensions. I wasnot aware of any illegal drugs. Churches thrived.I can identify with the positive, idealized presen-tation of 1950s life as depicted in the TV seriesHappyDays.

But the 1950s also had its problems. My dadwas a carpenter who worked outdoors in houseconsfuction; when the weather got bad in the win-ter, he didn't work and thus wasnlt paid. I remem-ber suppers of thin potato soup because that wasall we had. I remember weariag shoes with holesin the soles because we couldnt afford new ones.I remember girls who dropped out of high schoolbecause of prepancy. I remember gang fights. Thedecade of the 1950s was not ideal.

The Israelites idealized their past life in Egypt.They remembered {or thought they remembered)so many good things, but they forgot the slavery.They remembered the vegetables, but they for-got the whips. Human tendency toward having aselective memory hasnt changed much over thecenturies, has it? - I .B.N.

C. Manna Haters (v. 6)6. But now our soul is dried away: there is noth-

ing at all, beside lftis msnna, before our eyes.What if d restaurant today were able to offer

authentic manna on its menu? The sky would bethe limit as to what could be charged. Who wouldnot want a bite of the miraculous, tastv bread from

41,2

II. Grumblers(Numbers 11:a-6)A. Meat Eaters (v. 4)

4. A-ud the mixed multitude that was amongthem fell a lusting: and the children of Israelalso wept again, and said, Who shall give usflesh to eat?

As dramatic and traumatic as the Thberah inci-dent must be, it is quickly followed by anothercomplaint. It is easy for us to condemn Israelfor folly in this matter. Yet we should not thinkourselves above falling into similar patterns ofingratitude.

The new round of grumbling is a /ustlng, butthis has nothing to do with sexual desire. It is theIust for favorite foods. In particular, the peopleof Ismel want a diet that includes meat. They areapparently unwilling to eat any of the livestockthat remains from when they left Eg5pt [Exodus17:3). Thus their only source of nourishment is thedaily provision of manna.

These cravings for a steak or lamb chop are sostrong &at the people actually weep. Their behav-ior has passed the boundaries of rationality andmoved to childishness. [See question #1., page416.1

B. Egyptian-Cuisine Lovers (v. 5)5. We remember the fish, which we did eat in

Egyptfreely; the cuc 'mbers, and the melons, andthe leeks, and the onions, and the garlic.

The list of cherished foods includes many itemsthat apparently had been coulmon to tlem, evenas slaves, in Egypt. Assuming that they are notviewing the past through rose-colored glasses in

LEssoN g 473 AUGUST 2

Heaven? Yet the people of Israel, who had thisperfect food in inexhaustible quantities for free,become bored with it.

At one time, lobster was considered to be thefood of poor people. Wheu the first European immi-grants arrived in New England, they found that lob-sters sometimes washed up on the beaches in suchquantities that they were taken for granted, Lob-sters were even cut up and used for fish bait. Thelobster, after all, was seen as a t5pe of sea insect-to be shunned by polite society. Today, however,lobster is among the most pnzad of foods. Its sub.tle and delicious flavor is appreciated by gounnetsall over the world.

Tastes in food may change, but there is noexcuse for being ungrateful for God's provision.For people to become disbessed to the point thattheir souls arc dried away over a repetitive diet isnot acceptable. [See question #S,page $.1

III. Moses Grumbles and Complains(Numbers 11:10-15)

A. Griping Wave Reaches Moses (v. 10)10. then Mose heard the people weep through-

out their families, every man in the dior of h=istent: and the anger of the Loro was kindledgreatly; Moses also was displeased.

Despite the recent incident at Thberah, the neo-p/e of-Israel persist in their pett5r complaining. thecomplaint is 'niydsal, being Lxpr€;sed by"errerymon. They are tired of manna! hom our p"rrp""-tive, this ell ssg6e to be quite silly and clildish.They are sysa sfisdding tears over-this!

Yet, agnin, we must remember that at its corethis is not a p_rob_lem with diet. It is a spiritualproblem, a lack of faith in Moses'leadersfiin andtherefore in God. The Lord has a plan to create apeople for himself. He will allow ihe Israelites topopulate the land He had promised to Abraham,but tlre plan seems to be going awrybecause of tlepeople's attitude and behavior. Tdis causes God'swrath to be lsnd/ed anew.

We dont know how Moses himself feels aboutea'in8 marna every day, but he seems to have nocgmpla4ls about it. His displeasure is the com_plaint of leadership, of havine to appease hisgrumbling nation. See the next verse. - -

B. Complaining Includes Moses {w. 1t-13}11. And Moses said unto the Ionn, Wherefore

hast thou afflicted thy servant? and whereforehave I not found favor in thy sigfit, that thou lay_est the burden of all this peoplJupon me?

The endless wave of cornpiainiig overwhelmsMoses. Thus he joins the ranks of thd complniners.

Moses takes his complaint directly to God, ask-ing why the Lord has saddled hirn with a nationof grumblers.

Moses understands this to be a personal matter.He believes that Israel's dissatisfaction is a signthat he, Moses, has fallen out of foyor with G;d.The experience is so negative tlat Moses seesleadership- T a burden rather than a privilege anda responsibility. [See question #+,pige at6j

12. Have I conceived all this people? have Ibegotten then, that thou shouldest say unto me,Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing fatherbeareth the zucking chilfl, sals the land whichthou swarest unto their fathers?

_ Moses' lilany of complaints grows deeper as helays bare all of his ftushations before the l-ord. Leeffect, he issaying, 'This is not what I siped upfor." Thafs the attitude behind the questioi s HaveI gg1ceived oII this people? have Ibegotten them?All this is as if to ask, 'ltrn I their forhir?"

ffus an-crrvsl 1o this question obviously is no, heis not their father. The only one who fits-the role offather is God himself. Moses is tired of babysittingthese whiners. So he too gives in to the spirit oTcomplaining. [See question #S,page 416.1'

13. Whence should I have flesh to give unto allthis_pggp{e? for they weep unto me, Jaying, Giveus flerh, ttat we may eat.

Moses then confronts God on the practicallevel. He knows the people are clamoring f.or flesh{meat) in their diet, but he has no solution. Hecannot seem to quell their grumbling, and he hasno resorrlces to meet their requests.

While we may miticize Moses'attitude at thispoint, we should appreciate that his impulse toqrn !o God is a step in rhe right direition. Inchurch leadership roles, it is tempring to turm firstto our own skills; it is easy to think that we haveall the arxiwers, that we should be able to fix allconflicts in short order. Or we simply turn a deafear to complaints and hope they wi]Igo awav.

Moses does neither ofthose. Insteid, he iakesthe concems seriously, tui:ning to God for help. Aswith FauI, Moses understandJhis personal tirnit"-tions, knowing that solutions can come only fromGod (compare 2 Corinthiens lZ:lOJ.

C. Moses Brealcs Down (w. 14, lE)14, 15. f ern not able to bear all this oeople

alone, becaure it is too heavy for me. And if thou$eal_t!y _witr F", kiII me, I pray tlee, out ofhand if I have found favor iu ihy sight; and Ietme not see my wretchedness._ Leadership can be thankless, isolating, andlonely. When it gets to this point, any leader willsay if rls tao heavy for me. And that leader will be

AUGUST 2

comect. No one is able to survive the pressures ofleadership without help. In this case, the pressurehas crushed Moses to the point that he longs fordeath. Again, he reminds us of Faul, who admitsthat iu his circumstances he "despaired even of life"(2 Corinthians 1:B); Faul ultimately learns that "weshould not trust in ourselves, but in God" (1:g).

If we read beyond today's lesson text, we learnthat the Lord directs Moses to create a leadershipcouncil of 70 elders to help him deal with the peo-ple (Numbers 11:16). God's intention is that thisgroup of men will "bear the burden of the peo-ple with thee, that thou bear it not thyseH alone"(77:77). It is never God's intention to abandonthose who are leading His people.

What about the grumblers? God takes care ofthem too. The rest of this chapter reveals that Godcauses a miraculous deluge of quail to fall on thecamp so that the tasty birds are three feet deep(Numbers 11:31). Israel's enioyment of the meat isshort-lived, tho"gh.Very soon-while the meat is

"yet between their teeth"--God brings a "very greatplague" on the people and many die (11:33, 34J.

ConclusionA. Complaining

Dont we have a right to complain? Dont wehave an obligation to complain! We all loow peo-ple who have refined their complaining skills toa very high level. Such individuals seem to enjoycomplaining simply for the sake of complaining.There are limits to this, though, as the people ofIsrael fouad out while in the wilderness.

God does not reward ungrateful complaining.Yet we should never hesitate to express our dis-couragements and hurts to the Lord, for He truly

Home Daily Bible ReadingsMonday, fuly 27-Give Heed to My Cry

(Psalm 1421lhesday fuly 2S-A Test of Obedience

(Exodus '1.6:L-L2)Wednesday, |uly z9-Living Bread (|ohn 6:

41-51)Thursday, |uly 3o-Complaining and

Turning Back fJohn 6:60-68)Friday, |uly 31-An Example to Instruct

Us (1 Corinthians 10:1-11JSaturday, Aug. l-Faith, Love, and Mercy

fiude 14-23)Sunday, Aug, Z-Complaining About

Hardships (Numbers 11:1-6, 10-15)

GnuN,rsr.tNc AND CoMPLAINTNG

cares (1 Feter 5:7). It is diffrcult, however, to havemuch ioy in our lives if we focus on our com-plaints. There is no mone effective joy stealer thanSiping and grumbling. On the otherhand, if wepan$e to reflect, then we will better appreciatethe many ways God has blessed us and is bless-i.g us.

B. Counfing BlessingsThe hymn writer Johnson Oatman, Jr. {1859-

1922) advised Cbristians to "count your blessings,name tlem one by one." Oatman knew that wewould find blessings "wealth can never buy."

Our materialistic world tends to equate bless-ings with wealth. We think we are blessed if wehave abundant possessions. Yet this is not whatthe Bible teaches. Jesus teaches that material pos-sessions are fleeting and perishable fMatthew 6:19-211. fesus knows that we can become enslavedby possessions (6:24). The desire for money canbecome insatiable.

If we go through the exercise of counting ourfolsssingc, we may list some very mundane things.We have clothes to wear. We have homes to livein. We have food to eat. But our most preciousblessings are nonmaterial. In God's economy, weare truly wealthy if we are rich in relationships.We should never take for granted the blessing offamily and friends. We should never minimize thepower of loving others and lsing loved by them.

Even more important are the mighty spiritualblessiags we have been given by the grace of God.He has bought our salvation through the blood ofHis Son, )esus. God has given His Holy Spirit tocomfort us in times of dishess. He has given usHis Word to guide us and help us understand Hiswill for us. He loves us deeply. These are bless-ings tlat wealth cannot buy. When we tire, we aretempted to go into complainl mode. But we EIrebetter served and more acceptable to God if weresist this temptation and thank God for the manyblessings He has showered into our lives.

C. kayerGod, from whom all blessings flow, we are

too often guilty of letting life's disappointmentssteal our joy. We become grumblers, never satis-fied. May we be content with Your care. May Youremove the spirit of grurnbling from us. IGep usfrom falling into the sin of the Israelites in the wil-derness, who were not satisfied with Your miracu-lous manna. We pray this in the name of the trueliving bread from Heaven, fesus. Amen.

D. Tho.ght to RememberFocus on your blessings, not your lack.

474

Lrssow g

Into the LessonTo introduce the next three lessons, prepare

seven pieces of poster board with the letters N, 4M, B, E, R, S on the front side, at least four inchesin height, one letter per card. On tbe back of the Nhave a G; on the back of the S have an L.

Affix to the board or wall the seven cards toteadNUMBERS; use small pieces of masking tape.Then move the letters around as follows: move theUunder the Mposition; move the Munder the B;move the B under the E; move the E under tle S:move the.R underneath the position tlat was firstheld by the U (that is, it will be to the left of wherethe Unow is). Only the Nand the S will remainin the top row.

Say, "Behind the N and the S are different let-ters. When we flip them and move them to dif-ferent locations. we will have a sad theme of theBook of Numbers." See who can identify the let-ters. When the G and tr are identified, flip the Ntoa G and place it to the left of where the ft now is.Flip the S to an I and place it between the B andthe E The new word, of course, is GRUMBLE.

Say, "lVhen one reads the book ofNumbers, oneis tempted to conclude that tle ancient Israelitesspent most of their time griping and grumbling ontheir way to the promised land."

Into the WordPrepare on 13 strips of paper the following

observations about complaining, one per strip.Give one to each learner, If vou have more than13 learners, repeat some of the strips; if you havefewer than L3 learners, double up some of theassignments.

Tell your learners you want them to relate theobservation on each slip to a ver$e or idea iutoday's text of Numbers 11:1-6, 1O-15. Verse num-bers are suggested in italics with the observationsgiveu here, but do not include those verse num-bers on your handouts. Shuffle tle strips beforehanding them out.

Compleining reaches God's ears [z !Complaining makes God angry fu 7)Complaining to human leaders may be no

better ttran complaining to God. (u 2)Complaining can lead to destruction {rz 3JComplaining may arise from physical wants

(u 4)

Complaining is often tied to "the good olddays" (u 5)

Complaining can igpore &e good things ttratarc prcsent rv. 6J

Complaining may affect whole families(u 10)

Complaining often infects leaders as well asfollowers [z 1ll

Complaining can deteriorate into self-pity(u lIJ

Complaining may arise from feelings ofbeing overwhelmed (u. 12)

Compleining may arise from feelings of per-sonal and faith inadequacy fn 13/

Complaining can lead to self-deprecation,even despair {vu U, 15)

Read (or have read) the whole lesson text aloud.Then ask learners at random to read their com-plaint statements, identi$r the verse(s) associated,and relate how they see the same phenomenon atwork in their own lives and/or in society.

As your learners relate current occasions thatelicit complaints, ask them to consider if thereultimately was a 'hidden blessing" in each occa-sion that was met with a complaint. Use this dis-cussion as a transition to the Into Life segment.

lnto LifeSuggest that each learner prepare a personal

Complaint Box. This is the manner of construc-tion: (1) cut a slot in the lid of an empty marga-rine tub; (2) write the word Complaints on the topof the lid; [3) write God.'s Blessings on the under-neath side of the lid; ( ) place the lid on the tubwith the word Complaints showing.

Learners are to keep a small notepad handythroughout the week. They will use the notepadfor lwiting down complaints that come to mind.After writing a complaint, they deposit it in thetub when they get home.

At the end of the week, your learners shouldremove the slips. As they look at them one by one,they are to ponder how each was "hiding" a bless-ing of God. They are then to flip the lid over sothat the phrase God's Blessings shows. Next, theyreinsert those same slips through the slot. Oacethe complaints and grumbles are thus depositedthe second time, your learners are ready to praywith a different attitude over their concerns!

415 AUGUST 2

Learning by DoingThis page contains an altemqtive lesson plan emphasizing leaming actiuities. Some

of these activities are also found in the helpful student book Adult Bible Class'

Aucusr 2

1. Under what circumstances, if any, is itproper to complain to God?

Attitude is everythingl Humble, heartfelt expres-sions of need il'g fins; "give us this day our dailybread" is an example. That doesn t really fit theidea of complaining. But expressions of need thatcome across as bellyaching are out of line.

Taking time daily to say thankyou to God fromthe heart is the best way to refocus. We will findourselves greatly blessed as we develop grate-ful hearts. The apostle Faul found himself undersevere conditions time after time, yet he consid-ered himself blessed. Since very few of us will everface the shess and deprivations that he did, shouldwe be any less grateful than he was?

2. What are your "top five" words to describethe attitudes of the children of Israel as they listedall the foods they used to enioy in Egypt? Howcan we overcome our own tendencies to glory inmemories of "the good old days"?

Many words come to mind. Sftorfsigftfed is justone. The Israelites probably salivated over whatthey had back in Eg1ryt because they mentallydwelled on the idea of going back there.

Too often we do likewise: we pine for a previouslife situation as we focus ou what we dont have,on opportunities missed, or on relationships lost.|ust as the Israelites remembered the food in Eglptwithout considering the misery of their slaverywe also may remember only the good in the pastwhile overlooking the bad. Sometimes we may bein denial about the nahrral movement of the stagesof life as time moves on. Making an effort to livein the present and see each uew day as a gift fromGod can help us overcome such tendencies.

3, How do we recognize people who (1) aregenuinely grateful and thanlfirl, (2) put on a falsefront of gratitude ald thanlfrrlness, and [3) areoutrightungrateful? How can you make sure youare in the first ofthese three categories?

We see genuine gratitude in the poor widow ofMark L2:47-44. Feople who know they have beenblessed will try to be a blessing to others in sacri-ficial ways. Thankful people often praise God forHis mercy and grace, both in public and in private.They are pleasant people to be around.

416 Gnuvnlmc AND CoMPT,AINING

Let's Thtk It OverThe questions on tftis page ane designed to promote drscusstbn of the lesson

by the class and to encoumge application of the lesson Sciptures. The answersprovided are only discussion sfarfers. Let your class talk it over from therc.

We see a false front of gratitude in the Phariseeof Luke 18:9-12. The "thanldulness" he expDessesis for his own efforts at being better than others.Such folks may be condescending toward thosewho dont fit their mold.

We see downright uagratefulness in today's les-son. Ungrateful people tend to complain aloud;they tend to display a negative attitude. They maytry to line up support for their position as theyattempt to enlist others in their cause (examples:Numbers 74;4;16;7-41. They are often unpleasantto be around.

4. How can complaining by church membersaffect church leaders? What corrective action isappropriate?

Relentless compleining can discourage chu.rchleaders, as it did Moses. Hebrews 13:17 offersat least a partial solution: 'Obey them that havethe rule over you, and submit yourselves: forttrey watch for your souls, as they that must giveaccount, that they may do it with joy, and notwith grief: for that is unprofitable for you." Thatword unproffabJe should warn chronic complain-ers that causin8 grief in church leaders may maketlings worse, not better.

5. How should parents react when their chil-dren complain?

Farents normally have a great love for and adeep commitment to their children. It's normalfor parents to make major sacrifices for their chil-dren at every age. In view of this, we would expectchildren to be more grateful to their parents thanthey frequently are.

When parents encounter ingratitude aud lackof respect, they may slow down in blessing theirchildren in extra ways. Parents will be more reluc-tant to respond positively to requests from theirchildren as they would if the children exhibitedmore gratitude in words, attitudes, and actions.However, some of the blame for childreds ingrat-itude can be the parents' fault for not modeling agratefirl attifude Bremselves.

Being a proper role model is important. If youare a parent, do your children perceive a grate-fuI attitude when they hear you discuss your job,your church, etc.?