I used to be a substitute teacher, and, from time to time, I would fill in for one of the coaches. One Friday, I saw a group of kids trying to figure out what to do on their free day. Football, soccer, basketball, tag, or dodgeball were the main choices.
To me, that all sounds like a fun day in elementary school. Their problem was that they couldn't decide. They argued so long about what to play that nobody really got a chance to play anything before time ran out.
Jesus describes something like that in the marketplace. One group of kids says, "Let's play wedding!" The other group doesn't want to dance. "Fine, let's play funeral." They refuse to mourn. So, nobody joins in, and the game never even begins.
Of course, Jesus isn't really talking about children.
John the Baptist came with a hard message and a unique way of living. People said he had a demon. Jesus came eating and drinking with people that others did their best to avoid. They called him a glutton and a drunk. John was too serious. Jesus wasn't serious enough. Whatever God did, somebody had a reason to stand aside with their arms crossed.
Can you see it? Sometimes, we're so sure how God ought to answer a prayer that we overlook the word that is right in front of us. We want a clear sign or a change, but only if it doesn't really change anything.
Churches do this, too. We say we want new people to experience God's grace, then wonder why they don't do things the way we've always done them. We pray for God to move, then argue about whether we like the music.
Often, we get caught up in the game of Do I Like It. But Jesus says wisdom is known by her deeds. That helps us look at the more faithful questions like, "What fruit is growing? Are people being loved? Is someone finding their way toward Jesus?" Let's play that game!
Stay blessed...john
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