Don't Complain Title Injustice
Exodus (41) Do not complain about injustice (Exodus 16:13-20)
< God who gave quail and manna >
God provided manna and quail to the Israelites in the wilderness (verse 13). The quail is a migratory bird with short wings, a small round head, and a plump body. It flew north from Africa in the spring, migrated to Arabia and Syria in the fall, and returned to Africa in the winter. God made the quails fall like rain on the camp of Israel. Unlike the manna that fell for 40 years, the quails were brought down only for about a month in the beginning when they had to adapt to life in the wilderness (Numbers 11:21).
Also, in the morning after the dew on all sides of the camp dried up, there was a small, round, frosty thing on the ground of the wilderness (verse 14). The manna was like a cat seed, and the shape was like a pearl, so it could be grinded in a millstone or boiled in a kiln. And it was white in color and tasted like sweets mixed with oil or honey. Simply put, manna was like rice flour the size of a slightly coarse grain of sand (about 3mm).
At that time, the children of Israel did not know what it was, so they asked each other, “What is this?” Moses said to them, “This is the food that God has given you to eat” (verse 15). The meaning of ‘manna’ is “What is this?” Some people claim that manna is a product of the secretions of desert creatures, but Moses clearly says that it is a food provided by God. Manna was given to every place he went for 40 years, regardless of season, and was given to the population of 2 million at dawn every morning.
When the manna was consumed, God made it possible to gather one omer per person (verse 16). An omer was a bowl used to measure the amount of grain, but gradually changed to a unit of measure and one omer equals 2.3 liters today. As God commanded us, we harvested a lot, sometimes a lot and sometimes a little (verse 17). But when they measured the omelo, those who gathered much had nothing left, and those who gathered little did not lack (verse 18). God made it possible for us to share equally so that we do not have more of each other because we are greedy.
< Don't complain about injustice >
Watching the manna incident in the wilderness, many people think of the ‘blessing of heaven’. However, the more important message of the Manna incident is the ‘challenge of sharing’. God's will is to achieve fairness by giving out what we have to "those who do not have what I have" rather than becoming discouraged when they see "those who have what I do not have." Therefore, don't just lament that society is unfair, but dream of a fair society by sharing what you have.
How many people are struggling right now? Especially think of those who live with disabilities for the rest of their lives. If you really want fairness, don't look at people who are better than you and complain, "Why isn't it fair?" Think of those who are tougher than you and try to give them a chance to be fair. People with disabilities have the right to be taken care of, and normal people have a duty to care. Do not put your rights ahead of your duties in life, but put your duties ahead of your rights. Then God will bless you, and society will become a more equitable society.
Even if the precious heavenly manna is possessed more than necessary, worms will form and it will stink (verse 20). Therefore, become the cornerstone of a fair society through ‘sharing and serving’. The work that believers should strive for is not to question and complain about God's fairness because life is difficult, but to help those in need while dreaming of a fair society. Therefore, always live according to your fraction, but live in abundance for missions and almsgiving.
There are people who dream of having their own temple while reducing the finances for missions and charitable work while in the ministry, and they say, “We are lacking too. If we divide like that, when will we start construction?” There are people who have a heart. However, even if you cannot build, you must not turn away from the present missions and relief. If it is difficult to postpone, missions and relief will not continue. God will appreciate ‘being good at sharing’ more precious than ‘being good at building’.
Do not be sensitive only to your own needs, but be sensitive to the circumstances of those in need. When we look after those in need, our just God will make our dreams come true at the right time. Don't always complain about 'what I don't have', but try to share 'what I have' with those who don't have it. That is the proper duty of the saints who have received God's infinite love.
When parents raise their children, they usually raise them with the greatest love a person can give. Even when such a child grows up, becomes a member of a gang, kills people, and becomes a prostitute on the street, the parents still value that child more than anyone else. That is the heart of parents. There is a wife who says she wants to quit drinking every day, but she can't stop drinking and even threatens her every night. How noble is your heart? The heart that has been amplified thousands of times and turned toward us is the heart of God.
In fact, God has given us everything. Therefore, there is no question of fairness. How can a person who has already received everything he receive be fair and complain about it? Still, if you complain to God that he doesn't give you more, you are not blessed. Now, stop complaining about injustice and be a cornerstone of a society overflowing with righteousness and fairness by extending your love for neighbors in need because you love the impartial will of God.