Jason Low preached on this on Sunday, and I really liked it. So I'm going to blog about it.
v.16-19: "To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others:
'We played the flute for you,
and you did not dace;
we sang a dirge,
and you did not mourn.""
In all the previous times I've read this passage, I never really understood this particular section. What's interesting to me is that Jason said that their faith, rather than being child-like, was childish in that Jesus didn't always follow their expectations of a Messiah. Considering what I've been learning lately about being a disciple of Christ, I realize more and more how often my actions are tainted by my own expectations of how I should be "acknowledged" or "repaid".
Today, I got into a fight with my mother. In short, she was in a bad mood, and I felt that she was taking her anger out on me. And yet, even as I was 'fuming with anger,' I realized how much I want to be recognized for being a good daughter. I do my best to follow my parent's rules; I don't stay out late, I do well in school, and I try my best do not sass them. Now, I have to say that I am a far from perfect daughter and know full well that sometimes, I'm just too lazy to be a good one. But, at other times, the fight isn't my fault, and this is when I feel unappreciated. At times like these, I'm really challenged to ask myself, "Am I really doing EVERYTHING for God? Especially being a good daughter, even when it means tolerating & forgiving my parents' shortcomings?" I guess it's easy for me to overlook how such wrong motives can turn into seemingly right actions. For some reason, I guess I kind of had this weird connection back to Matthew 11. I hate to say it, but my faith is childish. Pray for repentance.
omg haha scary that both of us were like going through the same thing. i was actually going to connect my post to jlow's message too hahaha because part of my moms and my argument was about failed expectations. hahaha man.
ReplyDeleteencouraging thoughts here as well :)
You know whats sad yet interesting is that even when we reconcile you can almost see the selfishness behind it. We seriously need to get the log out of our own eye before even looking at our parents short comings, huh.