God Rebukes My Whining

“And when the people complained, it displeased the LORD: and the LORD heard it; and his anger was kindled; and the fire of the LORD burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp.”
Numbers 11:1

I made some excellent stuffed peppers a few months ago.
One of the ingredients I had to get for the filling was a 15oz container of spaghetti sauce.
So, we went to the store and perused the selection of sauces…and before I knew it, I was complaining about not finding what I wanted…not a lot of complaining, but enough for God to check me.

There I was, standing in front of DOZENS of varieties of tomato sauces, with the ability to buy a dozen jars, and I’m whining that there are too many varieties of the “Ragu” brand.

How pathetic is that?
What a silly complaint in a world
that’s filled with suffering.

I see those ads on TV for the Tunnel to Towers Foundation.
I see those soldiers with no limbs who will never walk or move freely again without help from prosthetics and wheelchairs…and I’m pretty sure they don’t care about excessive Ragu varieties.

Families are struggling to buy groceries and pay their utility bills. Many will file for bankruptcy and lose their homes to foreclosure today…they’d be happy to serve any variety of Ragu tonight.

In third world countries, a well-stocked grocery store doesn’t exist. You get one kind of sauce if you get any sauce at all.
And you might be buying that sauce in the middle of a war zone, gangland, or brutal authoritarian regime.
And it might be your ONLY FOOD for DAYS.

God dealt with me about my attitude when I read this verse.
I offer no commentary, but I encourage you to read Numbers 11 today and let God speak to your heart.

I’m going to keep a lid on my whining…I can’t really think of any situation where whining would improve anything.

It’s far better to count my blessings, rehearse my victories, and thank God for each bite of Ragu.