THE COMPLAINT DESK

A research from Stanford University shows that COMPLAINING shrinks the hippocampus. That’s not a pig-like, semi-aquatic, large thick-skinned African mammal.

The hippocampus is an area of our brain that’s key to problem solving. Alzheimer's disease destroys the hippocampus. This results to progressive memory loss, impaired thinking, disorientation, changes in personality & mood swings. That's scary!

The Israelites were very good at COMPLAINING.

"Would that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate bread to the full; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.” - Exodus 16:3

Simply put, they were complaining. “We're free but we have no food!”

Let's review their story. They were slaves in Egypt for more than 400 years. That's a long time with no freedom, all work & no pay. Then God saves them from slavery. Did they remember to thank God after a few weeks? Nope, instead they COMPLAINED!

They also made two mistakes. First mistake, THE HOW. How did they complained? They murmured.

"And the whole congregation of the sons of Israel murmured" - Exodus 16:2

Wrong move. Aren't we like that also?

• Instead of writing a letter to the affected party, we write about it on Social media.
• Instead of giving help, we grumble.
• Instead of doing something, we don't.
• Instead of talking to the person directly, we talk behind his/her back
• Instead of cooperating, we complain.

They murmured & nothing happened. Mistake # 1

Second mistake, THE WHO. Who did they complained to?

Exodus 16:2 says they "murmured against Moses and Aaron"

Don't get me wrong. Moses & Aaron were very good men. They were very good leaders too. But here's the truth - They were human. They were limited. They are not the right complaint desk for this. I think Moses knew that. So he said to Aaron, "Say to the whole congregation of the sons of Israel, 'Come near before the LORD, for he has heard your murmurings.'" - Exodus 16:9

The verse says "come near before the LORD." That's the right approach. That's when the miracle happened.

"In the evening quails came up & covered the camp; & in the morning dew lay round about the camp. And when the dew had gone up, there was on the face of the wilderness a fine, flake-like thing, fine as hoarfrost on the ground" - Exodus 16:13-14

Quail in the evening, manna in the morning. Problem solved. What's the lesson in today's reading?

CHRIST CAN DO WHAT COMPLAINING CANNOT.

Present your worries to Him then wait for a miracle. 1 Peter 5:7 says "Cast all your anxieties on him, for he cares about you."

What are your troubles in life? Stop complaining, start praying. - alvinfabella@yahoo.com