CAN'T PLEASE'EM ALL
Matthew 11:16-19 NKJV
16 "But to what shall I liken this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their companions, 17 and saying:
'We played the flute for you,
And you did not dance;
We mourned to you,
And you did not lament.'
18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon.' 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' But wisdom is justified by her children."
Jesus was talking about John the Baptist and the importance of his ministry. John prepared the way for Jesus, and Jesus held him in high regard. Then, Jesus discussed the condition of the generation that He and John were a part of. The bottom line message was that you can never please all the people.
Jesus said that the people of His generation were like children playing in the marketplace. The kids of that day had a game they would play. They would play a flute, and everyone would dance a happy dance. Then they would mourn, remember that there were professional mourners in that day, and all the kids would act sad and mourn. So whatever the tune, the kids would respond in kind.
But Jesus said the people were not responding. When the happy song was played, they did not respond as happy. When the sad song was played, they did not mourn. Jesus was communicating by using the metaphor of the kids' game. The people were acting fickle. They were not happy with Jesus or John.
John the Baptist was a maverick who lived out in the wilderness and ate locusts and wild honey. You have to be a different kind of guy to live isolated, wear camel skin with leather belts, and eat bugs and honey. That's different enough that the Bible mentions what John wore and ate. But for a stuffy religious community where the religious leaders were showy and pompous, John was most likely a refreshing change. But John's detractors said he had a demon. Even though he was different from the religious order of the day, instead of celebrating John, they said he was demon-possessed.
But Jesus wore normal clothes and ate and drank with the people. And instead of celebrating His willingness to live His life among the masses, Jesus was criticized. They accused Him of being a glutton and one who drank a lot of wine. And what's more than that, Jesus was actually a friend of the hated tax collectors and sinners.
So the people were not happy with John or Jesus. One was too much of an isolationist, and the other was too close to the wrong kind of people. Jesus did mention that wisdom was justified by her works. Or where there is wisdom, there will be the appropriate fruit.
APPLICATION
This little lesson from Jesus points to the reality that you are never going to please all the people all the time. Someone will find fault. When you come to Christ and your lifestyle changes, some may call you a Jesus freak. I've heard that one myself. Or when your church reaches out so that people from all walks of life can come, including those with questionable backgrounds, then you are too loose as a church with no standards.
What's the answer? Paul said that if he were still trying to please people, he would not be a servant of Christ. And there's the bottom line. Live to serve God and please the Lord Jesus. Then, proverbially, let the chips fall where they may.
PRAYER
Lord, I live to please You, not people. If you're happy, I'm good.