The Rejection of Wisdom

By Debra Marsalisi

“To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others: ‘We played the pipe for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’ 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, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right by her deeds.”—Matthew 11:16–19

The hard truth is no matter what you do, some people will simply never be satisfied. For many people on the receiving end of this reality, the truth of this statement cuts to the bone. Have you ever felt like you could jump through fiery hoops backward in a clown suit, and people in your life still wouldn’t be satisfied? Well, Jesus can empathize with rejection! Jesus experienced blatant rejection and lack of contentment from the religious leaders and others throughout His earthly ministry.

The generation’s inability to recognize and respond to the truth right in front of them is highlighted by their rejection of both John the Baptist and Jesus. At times, they each had different approaches to presenting the truth of God’s coming kingdom. It ranged from inspiring messages of mercy, hope, and forgiveness to the sobering cry of repentance. But no matter how the message was communicated, many stood firm in their rejection of wisdom. They were unreceptive and unwilling to receive their promised Messiah because He didn’t look or act the way they had anticipated. They weren’t satisfied because Jesus didn’t show up the way they imagined. Ultimately, they wanted to worship a “god” of their own choosing.

Now, we can easily read this Scripture with an air of judgment, thinking what a bunch of discontented little children, but if we’re honest with ourselves, at times, aren’t we guilty of this? Do we have selfish expectations of how we want Jesus to show up in our lives? Do we want to worship a “god” of our own choosing that acts and does what we expect? Are we unsatisfied when things don’t go our way?

That generation was more concerned about superficial appearances and their own expectations than on the message of God’s kingdom drawing near. Like the religious leaders of the day, if we're not careful, we can be more concerned with appearing holy than actually being holy.

It breaks the heart of our Savior when we dismiss the truth. You can hear the pain, sadness, and disappointment Jesus expresses a few chapters later as He weeps over Jerusalem: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! See! Your house is left to you desolate; for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord’” (Matthew 23:37–39 NIV)!

Jesus provided this warning before the temple was destroyed in 70 AD. It still counts as a warning for us today. He wants us to come under the shadow of His mighty wings and take shelter in Him, not with our selfish expectations of Him. He wants us to worship Him in spirit and in truth (John 4:24).

Jesus also states to the crowds, “Wisdom is proved right by her deeds.” Wisdom is like a tree that bears good fruit. It's one thing to have knowledge about God’s Word, but it’s a whole other thing to have wisdom. Wisdom is knowledge practically applied. Those who follow Jesus will not reject His wisdom but will wholeheartedly receive the truth and obey (application) even when He shows up differently than anticipated.

Pause: Do you have self-serving expectations of how you want Jesus to show up in your life?

Practice: Journal any selfish expectations you may have about the Lord. Then, ask yourself if those expectations line up with His Word. Please remember that desiring a certain outcome is very different than expecting a certain outcome. Expecting God to show up the way you want and being dissatisfied when He doesn’t can be brought to God in prayer and repentance.

Pray: Dear Lord, please forgive me if I have any expectations about You that don’t line up with Your Word. Allow me to receive the truth, no matter how it’s presented to me. I ask for wisdom in Your Word so I can apply it to my daily life. Please help me live in such a way that people see my pure satisfaction in You. Thank You, for Your love and truth transforms my heart and mind. I love You, Lord. Amen.