Do your kids complain? God’s kids complained too.
I am not going to eat that! Yuck, I’m not eating it! You have planned the meal, purchased the food, and spent time preparing the meal. Sometimes before you can even get the meal to the table, your family is complaining.
The youngest ones are the most vocal. Yet, we know when our kids (and husband) eat a small portion and then later get something else from the refrigerator.
Or, when your husband peers all through the refrigerator and asks you want is for dinner, even though it is Saturday. (When do we get a break from cooking?) Even though the leftovers are right in front of his face.
Lesson #1 – God KNOWS Your Frustration, You Are Not Alone
Girl, God knows the frustration that you are feeling. In fact, it happened to God, as well. Let me tell you the story of when God’s kids complained about His Cooking.
God’s Kids Complained: “There is Nothing to Eat”
“From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom. And the people became impatient on the way. And 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 loathe this worthless food.” Numbers 21:4-5
God had rescued his people from the mighty hand of Pharaoh. He was leading them through the wilderness with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.
God had provided everything that they needed along the way. Yet, the children of God were impatient and ungrateful. Have your children ever been impatient and ungrateful?
In the same breath that they complain that there is no food and no water, they also say that the loathe this worthless food. The claim that there was no food was a lie. There was food.
The children of God just didn’t want to eat that food. Ever had any children complain that there was no food to eat with a fridge full of food?
Lesson #2 – Mom – The Issue Isn’t Your Cooking, It is a Lack of Gratitude
Every day, except the Sabbath day, the Lord provided food for them from heaven. Manna, for which they did not work or toil, fell as a gift from heaven for them to eat.
On Friday, they gathered a double portion so they could rest on Saturday. They received a free, easy meal that fell from the heavens each day for them, and they were not grateful.
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Do you know any children that have complained about food they didn’t have to cook or for which they didn’t have to work?
Worthless food. We loathe this worthless food.
It is so frustrating when you spend your time cooking a meal for your family, and then they complain. Can you imagine that God is the one who is preparing your meal for you, and you have the audacity to complain??
You get frustrated when your family complains about your cooking. Guess what? God was frustrated too.
When God’s Kids Complained About His Cooking: The Consequences
“Then the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died. And the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD and against you. Pray to the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.” Numbers 21:6-7
Lesson #3 – Name Your Children’s Complaining & Grumbling as Sin
Complaining is a sin. The verse below from Philippians tells us that we are to do all things without grumbling and questioning. Complaining is grumbling and questioning.
Related Post: 7 tips to Overcome Complaining and Get Your Kids to Church
When we grumble, we are sinning. When we complain, we are sinning. The teaching applies to us too, mamas. Ouch.
“Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.” Philippians 4:14-15
The children of God sinned in complaining, and God had had enough. God sent fiery serpents into their midst. The bite of these serpents was fatal. Many of the children of God died.
The people of God knew that they had gone too far and screwed up. They came to Moses and begged him to talk to God on their behalf. Oh, the irony! They didn’t listen to Moses but they were hoping that God would listen to Moses!
Just as God knew that complaining needed to be dealt with swiftly, so do we, as Christian parents, need to deal firmly with complaining.
Although, fiery serpents would be a bit too harsh. Even if some nights, you really wish you could just a little.
God recognized how complaining influenced the whole community and undermined his authority and connection with his people. Allowing a spirit of complaining undermines our authority as parents and our relationship with our children.
Lesson #4 God is Gracious To Sinners, Even Complainers
“And the LORD said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.” So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live.” Numbers 21:8-9
God provided a way for the people to be healed. Moses was directed by God to create a bronze serpent figure and mount it on a pole.
By looking at the bronze serpent, the people could be healed physically and saved. Those who did not look at the bronze serpent died. It was their choice to seek healing.
By punishing their complaining, God also brought them spiritual healing. God knew that this attitude of rebellion and lack of gratitude must be addressed for their spiritual health.
If we truly love our children, we need to deal with bad attitudes and complaining for their spiritual health.
Lesson #5 Deal with Complaining by Correcting the Heart
The battle for our children’s faith really lies not in correcting their behavior, but in correcting their hearts. The best thing we can do for our children is to point them to Christ.
God’s kids complained about His cooking, but the real issue was their heart!
Just as Moses lifted up the bronze serpent, so the Son of God was lifted up for our healing and forgiveness. “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up.” John 3:14
Our children are sinners, just like us. As a parent, our most important job is to disciple them and to point them to Christ.
Are you tired of your children grumbling? Are you tired of them arguing? Are you tired of them complaining about your cooking and other things?
God gets it. Now, we need to do the hard heart work to deal with it for our kids and ourselves.
The voice behind FaithfulMotherhood.com is Jyn. She is a veteran homeschool mom of three. More than just a pastor’s wife, she holds a Master of Divinity degree and has served in church leadership for over 20 years. Her passion is equipping parents to live out their calling as the number one faith influencer for their children. She longs to see moms empowered by God’s Word and transferring that love to their children through daily Bible study and family devotions.
