“Do all things without murmurings and disputings” (Philippians 2:14).
Jeff was a little harsh in his tone with his eight-year-old son, Sammy. “Sam, I’ve told you for the last time to stop with the murmuring.” Sam had been grumbling about his spelling words that he had to work on. Then he grumbled because he had to take a bath of all things. Then he grumbled and complained that he had to go to bed. Sammy looked up at his dad and said, “I’ll stop murmuring if you tell me what that means.” Jeff softened a bit and took Sammy on his lap. “Murmuring is when you have a bad attitude about the things we ask you to do. It is having a mean look on your face and arguing about what your mom and I tell you.” Sammy thought for a moment and then asked his dad, “Did you complain when Grandma told you to do things when you were a kid?” Dad acknowledged that he probably did. Sammy so innocently replied, “That’s where I get it from. I’m related to you, Dad!” It was a teaching moment plunged into hysterics. Dad couldn’t help but laugh.
For today: Theologically, Sammy probably wasn’t too far off, even though we all are individually responsible for our actions!