Religious games

 

Luke 7:31-34

There's a difference between child-like faith and childish faith. Child-like faith is Jesus centered. This faith forms out of humility, wonder and trust. Childish faith is self centered. It's the image of a child pouting for what they want or because of what they didn't get. No matter our age, either faith is a choice we make. The years you accumulate in church do not automatically equate to holiness and discipleship. You decide what faith you will pursue and nurture. Jesus once addressed a crowd about the message they heard from John the Baptist. Parenthetically, Luke tells us even tax collectors "acknowledged the justice of God" (7:29). But the Pharisees and other religious teachers "rejected God's purpose for themselves"(7:30). Jesus responded by offering an illustration. What were the "people of this generation" like? They were like children playing in the marketplace. Now, they weren't having fun. Instead, they complained because they couldn't make people play by their rules. Remember the kid growing up who changed the rules when he was losing? Jesus may have used one of Aesop's fables to accuse the religious leaders of being that kid. They criticized John the Baptist for "eating no bread and drinking no wine." That must mean you're supposed to be eating and drinking. But Jesus ate and drank, and they called him a "glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!" Do this, but not like that. Don't do that, but why didn't you? It's pointless to try to play by their rules. No matter what you do, they're going to pout about it. Thankfully, God's wisdom doesn't play by religious rules. That's good because many of them are silly. Even today. Jesus says, "wisdom is vindicated by all her children." That is, as we pursue a child-like faith, accepting God's purpose through Christ, we'll stop playing selfish games. We'll find our center more in God's grace. We'll discover the joy of God's kingdom as we welcome those otherwise pushed aside. Today's religious people might call us out for not following their ever-changing rules. But Jesus tells us "the least in the kingdom of God is greater" than even John the Baptist. Stay blessed...john