Friday, January 8, 2016

James 5:9 – “Don’t Be a Grouch!”


As always, here’s my fairly literal translation of these verses:

9Brothers, don’t groan against one another, that you may not be judged. Look! The Judge has taken His stand before the doors.

Beginning in verse 7, James has called us to live in patience even as we face the hardships of life. Then he adds this admonition of verse 9 not to “groan against each other.” I have found the precise meaning of the verse a little difficult to pin down given the word which I’ve translated “groan.” The verb “stenazo” means something like “to groan, to sigh inwardly, to sigh heavily.” It expresses internal emotions, not necessarily outward expressions. So what is the Lord specifically asking us not to do here? The NIV translates it “Don’t grumble against each other.” The NASB translates it, “Do not complain against one another.” The thing I’m not sure about is that words like “grumble” and “complain” are more outward, actually verbal expressions, where “stenazo” is more inward.

From my resources, I can’t tell for sure whether the word embraces those outward expressions but I get the impression it does. He is clearly calling us not to get impatient with each other, but I guess I’m not sure if He is here specifically calling us to check the problem inwardly or outwardly. Practically speaking it probably doesn’t make any difference. If my thoughts are making me “groan” against other people, then what I express to them will be some form of irritation or grumbling, complaining, etc.

All that said, I think the overall point is obvious. Knowing we will face hardships and difficulties in life, the Lord is saying, “Don’t take it out on each other.” We could probably express the thought by ideas like, “Don’t be a grouch,” or “Don’t be impatient with each other,” or “Don’t let your own troubles make you treat others badly.”

Wow. I’ve been thinking a lot about this as I’ve been studying. Life is of course painful for all of us. Just working through a run-of-the-mill day there are many challenges and situations we find trying – from something as simple as a lid that won’t quite screw on right, to annoying noises, to other people’s driving, clear up to sickness, heavy workloads, or even outright oppression and injustice. As I mentioned above, the word isn’t primarily an outward expression, so it is certainly first of all calling us to keep watch on our hearts in all these troubles and the Lord is recognizing that one way we “fail” under trial is by (whether inwardly or outwardly) taking it out on each other. He doesn’t want us to do that.

I have found this a lot more challenging than I might have guessed. For myself, my own workload seems to only get heavier and heavier. I am fearing not being able to meet our client’s deadlines. All the while I just flat don’t feel good. I ache all over and am really tired. I don’t like winter – and we’re headed into snow and a deep freeze. I’m sure I’m no different than anyone else in all of this. Life is just plain hard. But somehow He wants me to not let my own fears or weariness degenerate into meanness or even just plain unpleasantness to others.

I guess I’ve never noticed before how easy it is to let my own troubles turn my heart against the people around me. I like expressing it as “Don’t be a grouch.” Somehow, I suspect, we all think it isn’t that bad to be a grouch – that it’s just “natural” if I’m struggling myself. But the Lord is very clearly telling us not to be grouches. That is precisely what this verse and its context is about – not letting our own troubles make us impatient with each other. Isn’t that what “being a grouch” is all about? And the Lord is calling us not to do it.

I like this. Don’t be a grouch. I’ve been trying to learn to just love God and others all day every day. But I don’t think I’ve ever let that thought include the temptation to be a grouch. It makes sense. If I’m going to be a loving person, I’ll have to do it even while I’m suffering myself. The fact that the Lord calls us to it assures us we can do it by His Spirit. He has given us the freedom to love others even as we suffer.

Don’t be a grouch!

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