Matthew 11:16-19
“the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.” vs. 19
Jesus wasn’t at all like John the Baptist in his habits or lifestyle. He didn’t live in the wilderness or worry about dietary restrictions, and he certainly wasn’t picky about his companions. He called tax-collectors and sinners his friends and he even hung with wealthy folks. And he got criticized for it…just as people criticized John for his abstinence. We live in that same kind of hypercritical environment. A goodly number of people are always looking for flaws and love to pick away at what they perceive to be weak spots in others. Those who become involved in ministry can expect to be scrutinized, and not always in the most favorable ways. Quickly they learn that not everyone will be happy with them, and sometimes the critiques are particularly cruel. It’s a cliché, but always the truth, “We can’t please everyone.” And since we can’t, we should be content with following the way of Jesus and eat and drink what we wish, and be a friend to sinners. And if people are uncomfortable with our choices we can always remind them that Jesus was killed by the religious folks and it was the sinners who mourned him. What a blessing it is to be a sinner…and know that Jesus is our best friend!
Thought for the Day: Why do people love to criticize?
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