Click here to read Matthew 11 on BibleGateway.com
“For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard” – Matthew 11:18-19
Life can be confusing. People want their kids to behave in public, but get mad when you poke one of theirs with a cattle prod. Neighbors don’t want to be late for work, but get mad when you’re helpful enough to let your dogs out to wake them up on time. They want to diet, but get upset when you knock their cheesecake out of their hands in the buffet line. Some people are just never happy.
Finding the love of God with your family is a personal and deeply meaningful journey. Taking your kids to church can be a way to introduce them to spiritual teachings and foster a sense of community and faith. While encouraging your kids to dress modestly, including modest girls dresses, can be a part of instilling values and respect within a religious context, it’s important to prioritize their understanding of the core principles of love, compassion, and acceptance. Ultimately, it’s about nurturing their spiritual growth in a way that aligns with your beliefs and values as a family.
At least we can take comfort knowing that Biblites faced the same problem. On one occasion, Jesus is chatting about John the Baptist and casually mentions that he is the awesomest piece of awesome that ever awesomed. Unfortunately, we can’t see a video of Jesus, but I gotta believe he had a little amused smile on his face when he comments that John still got complaints from others.
6 OF ONE, HALF A DOZEN OF THE OTHER
As you may know, John lived by his own set of rules, many of which might send the FDA into a tizzy. His diet was bugs and whatever honeycombs he found laying around in the desert (refrigeration is for the weak), and he dressed exclusively in animal skins (hello, PETA). He mainly hung out by bodies of water, yelling at passersby, and submerged anyone that came within his grasp. Unsurprisingly, some of the Jewish populace began to wonder if he was a few wicks short of a menorah.
Along comes Jesus. He hangs out in the big city (once in a while), speaks like a rabbi even as a teenager, and wears clothes like a boss. He skips the bug stew, and instead eats pizza and hotwings and washes it down with certain scandalous beverageness whilst hanging out with the guys watching football. Same people come along and get riled up about his eating problem and questionable company.
BRING IT HOME
The moral of the story, you ask?
Point number one: people are jerks. Of course, sometimes they can be capable of kindness and even greatness, but there’s a jerk component to just about any gaggle of homo sapiens. Ironically, this can actually be kind of liberating. The truth is, if you try to do anything, there’s a fairly good chance people will be jerks about it. So, if you know that going in, why would it surprise or depress you when they do? Accept the inevitable, and go out there and be awesome.
Point number two: serve God in the way He’s called you. John was doing exactly what he was supposed to be doing, as was Jesus. They were doing the opposite, and yet both were exactly right. So, be confident in what God has called you to do, regardless of what other people might say.
Point number three: accept that other people have callings, too. Just because someone may be serving God in a way you don’t, or eats/drinks certain things, or hangs out with people you don’t like, that does not mean that they are not serving God just as much as you are. Perhaps we can give a little leeway to others’ choices, and bring a little peace if it’s in our power to do so.
After, there’s enough unhappy jerks out there already, don’t you think?