Luke 7:31-35
“To what, then, can I compare the people of this generation? What are they like? They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to one another: ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not weep.’
For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon!’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at this glutton and drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is vindicated by all her children.”
Sometimes we are so caught up in our own thinking that we discredit another opinion to the point that we actually refuse both sides of the argument. Here in this pithy statement of Jesus’, He speaks of how the Pharisees argument against him had just become a denial to accept Him and His teaching regardless of what he did or said. We have experienced that with antivaxxers in our time – they are so against vaccination that they use all arguments against it, fixated on being anti. It’s hard to get through to people like that. Jesus reminds us that people have always been like that and in fact we shouldn’t be surprised by people’s negativity. We are not to base our actions on how people will respond to them, we are to do what God requires of us no matter what the response. I am reminded of the Prophet Jeremiah who was sent to preach to the people but told they would not listen. (Jeremiah 7:27). I am always amazed at Jeremiah speaking truth to a people who would not hear it. Jesus had the same problem, standing there in front of the people in the flesh, teaching them truths that were filled with wisdom and hope and the people ignoring or being hostile towards him. It frustrated Jeremiah, it frustrated Jesus. Here he openly criticises people for their stubbornness. But neither Jeremiah nor Jesus gave up preaching the good news and continued to live it out, despite peoples response. They continued to speak truth over a people who had turned from it. They continued to be faithful to God, no matter what the cost. My prayer is that you and I will have the strength to do the same. May wisdom be vindicated in you, meaning, may the hope that you cling to in Jesus Christ bear fruit in your life. May you benefit from the word you have heard, and may you do what it says.
let us pray.
Loving God, soften our stubborn hearts to be open to your truths. Teach us to hear you in the sadness and the happiness of our lives. Open our hearts to your wisdom in all that happens to us, console us in grief and strengthen us in joy that we may grow in your likeness day by day. Give us courage to be true to your Gospel always and to preach the Good News even in the face of adversity and hostility. May wisdom be vindicated in our lives. Amen.
