Luke 7:31-32 (ESV)
[31] “To what then shall I compare the
people of this generation, and what are they like? [32] They are like children
sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another,
“‘We played the flute for you, and you
did not dance;
we sang a dirge, and you did not weep.’
The Pharisees and teachers
criticized John the Baptist for his austere lifestyle, only to criticize Jesus
for his more liberated lifestyle. Their criticisms were not the real reasons
for their rejection of John’s and Jesus’ messages. They were the excuses. Jesus
called them on it. Just a few verses earlier it was made clear that they
rejected Jesus because they had rejected John. One led to the other, which obviously
reveals that their criticisms had nothing to do with their rejection.
So what do we make of this? Well,
I can think of two immediate applications. First, if you are in leadership or
the one being criticized, recognize that often the criticism you receive is not
the real issue at hand. There is usually something else behind it. For example,
I had someone criticize some of my preaching on different topics. He couldn’t
agree with me. It became such an issue for him that he eventually left the
church. Looking back I realize that the issues he brought to me were not the
root issues. The real issue was that if he was to accept what I was preaching
then he would have to admit that he had been wrong and change his own life. He
couldn’t bear that. Look for the root issue.
The second application is for
those who are doing the criticism. Let me challenge you to stop and ask
yourself what the real issue is behind your criticism. Is it pride keeping you
from admitting you have been wrong? Is it rumors that you have listened to
without checking to find out what is true? Is it taking up offense for someone
else that isn’t yours to take? Is it sin in your life that you are unwilling to
confess? Is it the cost of accepting the truth? What is the real reason behind
your criticism?
The truth is that we are often in
both of these camps. As one criticized, you must not reject the other person
because of their criticism. Rather, we should seek to understand the real
issue. But that easily moves us into the second camp. Therefore we need to
carefully examine our own motives before God. How many church splits could have
been avoided if everyone had come with this attitude?
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