Luke 7:32 Jesus
said: “They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to
each other: 'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a
dirge, and you did not cry.'”
The
street I lived on as a child was the greatest playground I have ever known. My
brothers and I played with the other kids at football, hide and seek, rounders,
dodgie ball, best man fall, kick the can, red rover, hopscotch (known as ‘peever’
in Glasgow) and were even known to play skipping ropes with the girls or
challenge them to a hula hoop contest (which the girls always won). The street was
always full of excitement and laughter, cheers and songs.
Sometimes
we all fell out with each other and formed cliques. We would then yell at each
other across the street and call one another names. At some point, both groups
would end up singing “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but
names will never hurt me.” We would sing it as loudly as we could until
one of the homeowners on the street would come outside to tell us kids that we
were making too much noise. This was immediately met with peals of laughter, at
which point, we forgot our dispute and gathered together again to play a new
game.
In
Christ’s time, the children also played on the street and sang derisive songs
to one another. Today’s verse includes one of them which must have been well
known to Jesus, as well as His listeners. He used the song as an example of
people always finding fault with others, whose narrow-minded ways or bitterness
precluded them from enjoying the wonders of God’s Kingdom and Christ’s
ministry. Usually, His veiled comments were meant for the religious authorities
who were displeased with, and displaced by, His ministry. Their callous hearts
could not comprehend the compassion of His work. Their self-righteousness
severed them from God’s love.
As
Christians, we can be smug at times and spiritually aloof. Our pride can damage
our effective witness and our religious arrogance can undermine Christ’s great
work. It’s never easy to be a Christian, but sometimes we are our own worst
enemies. Perhaps, instead of scornfully singing dirges of derision at the world,
we should cheerfully give voice to the songs of salvation for the healing of
God’s Creation.
Question for personal reflection
What kind of
song of faith do I sing to the world with my life and Christian beliefs?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, there are times
when we read the Gospels that
we find it easy
to delude ourselves into thinking that we would never have complained against
You or derided Your ministry. However, when we honestly reflect upon those
divisive events in Your past, we know that we are guilty of the same excesses
of religious self-righteousness and damaging witness of our faith. Forgive us
and help us to change our lives according to Your ways. In Your Holy Name, we
humbly pray. Amen.
John
Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian
Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s
message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.
Today’s
image is the book cover of my latest e-book of devotions called “Challenges to
Change Us.” You can view a larger version of the cover at the following link: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7279/7607634816_62514d3bd0_b.jpg
You
can also view samples of the book online at the following Amazon link: amzn.to/MOztlR
