“And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, ‘It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty.'” (Acts 6:2-3)
It would seem that church people have always been inclined to grumble and complain, back in the early church as well as now. In these days of social media, an increasing number of Church people have found a new way to voice their complaints. They add their voices to the rest of the social media community as they complain about the police, crime, disrespect, politicians, and perceived insults in addition to the way in which their particular congregation is being run, i.e. church politics.
But the complaints of the people in the early church were different. The Greek speaking Jewish converts to Christianity were concerned about the welfare of the widows. In ancient times there was no Social Security. The government took no responsibility for the poor and needy. In general, back then, most widows were among the poorest of the poor. They were unable to earn their own living; they had few if any relatives to support them. The apostles received the relief money from church members and were expected to distribute it equitably to the needy among the brethren. This was not being done.
The Church had accepted the responsibility to care for the poor as part of the work of God’s kingdom. This was probably what attracted many to the church in the first place. The poor experienced firsthand the gospel of the Lord: help and comfort to those who did not deserve anything, given by loving Christians in imitation of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Now, to be sure, any type of grumbling is inappropriate in Christians, for what we have been given is really undeserved and not ours to demand or claim by right. Salvation and all we have are gifts we do not deserve so we cannot demand special privileges or rank. Grumbling and criticism do not solve anything. Those believers who are critical or unsatisfied ought to come forward to resolve the situation, to take action, and to do the work of ministry at the cost of their own comfort, agenda, and even their civil rights. Those who have a complaint or see unmet needs, rather than gripe and complain, would do well to suggest how things can be made better. In addition, they should be willing to play a role in implementing their suggestions.
Just look at Stephen. He was one of the Deacons chosen by the Apostles to do the work of church administration. Yet he stepped up to answer the call that the Lord Jesus places on every believer, to preach the gospel, to face the opposition of doubters, scoffers, and those with malice in their hearts, to die for his faith. He shows us that we are called to do more than just administer the church, we are called to minister to each other and to the lost. We are called to serve our master’s interests not our own, and to do so at the expense of our own comfort. We are to fulfill our calling with love, mercy, and compassion.