Or in other words:
Do all things without murmurings, disputings and discontent.
You’ll no doubt recognise this from scripture, Phil. 2:14 to be precise:
Do all things without grumbling or disputing, Phil. 2:14
The very next verse goes on to give a reason why.
So that you will be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,” Phil. 2:15.
We are explicitly told that doing so will cause us to be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish. The converse of this means that grumbling and complaining leaves us guilty and with blemishes.
Then notice the “all” in verse 14. So does that really mean all things, or just some things? If we take scripture seriously i.e. God speaking as the NIV so clearly says:
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 2 Tim. 3:16 NIV.
It’s clear then, God tells us explicitly, we are to do all things without grumbling, murmuring or discontent. Or again, in other words: everything we do, should be done with thankfulness and joyfulness to God’s glory, always. Does that even mean the activities we don’t like? Indeed it does. In fact I doubt anyone grumbles while doing things they like. Therefore inference could be drawn that it refers to things we don’t like doing, or unpleasant things, or chores and the like.
What does that look like?
The end of Colossians 3 has is an excellent guide as to how this looks.
18 Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them. 20 Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is pleasing to the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they will not lose heart.
22 Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but with integrity of heart, fearing the Lord.
23 Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men,
24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. Serve the Lord Christ.
25 For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality. Col. 3:18-25
Husbands, wives, children, fathers and slaves are addressed, each with their own admonitions. Verses 22-24 addressed to slaves in particular are a perfect summary to consider:
22 Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but with integrity of heart, fearing the Lord.
23 Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men,
24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. Serve the Lord Christ. Col. 3:22-24
Slaves (and by extension all of us) are commanded to do our work, and in fact everything we put our hands to, as follows:
- Not only when our husbands, wives, fathers, mothers or bosses are around, and then slack off when they are not around. But even they are not around, to do all that we do to the best of our ability.
- But with integrity of heart, fearing the Lord, knowing the Lord is always watching.
- This covers everything, WHATEVER we do, we are to do ALL heartily, and by extension without grumbling or complaining or a bad attitude. Even those unpleasant or mundane tasks are to be done as if we are doing it for our Lord.
- We may not receive a reward from men, but we will receive a reward from the Lord, in this life or in the next.
The motivation to do things with the right attitude and without grumbling, is however, not to receive a reward, but rather because the Lord commands us to do so. And because it’s pleasing to Him. And because we love Him, we want to please him by being obedient to Him.
We cannot be obedient and pleasing to the Lord, with grumblings, with disputings, with discontent, can we? Heaven forbid. :-)
Conclusion
Husbands, wives, children, workers, bosses, EVERYONE, do everything you do, without grumbling, without dispute, without discontent. Do it with a grateful heart, as unto the Lord.