You just can’t please some folks, can you? As Jesus points out, the scribes and the Pharisees of the day didn’t like John because he challenged their complacency, calling everyone instead to greater self-denial and holiness. But at the same time, they didn’t think Jesus went far enough in His rejection of worldliness, since He feasted with His disciples and insisted on associating with sinners. It’s easy to see how they tried to impose their own expectations on both John and Jesus.

But John had his own unmet expectations, didn’t he? He had preached that when the Messiah appeared, He would bring justice to the world, gathering His faithful people to Himself and destroying all His enemies (Luke 3:17). And yet, even though John had borne witness that Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah, John was still stuck in jail, and the wicked king who had imprisoned him was still on his throne.

So, what do we do when our own expectations come into conflict with reality? What do we do when it seems that God has somehow let us down? Instead of giving into disappointment and instead of trying to impose our will on God, Jesus encourages us simply to take a look at what God is actually doing in our lives and the lives of our loved ones. For Jesus is still in the business of opening the eyes of the blind to see Him for Who He really is. He still opens the ears of the deaf to hear His Words of grace and truth. He still raises those who are dead in their sins to new, abundant life. And He still sends His messengers to proclaim the gospel to those who understand their poverty, their helpless need for a Savior.

Yes, if we think following Jesus means we will have luxurious clothes and influence among the proud and powerful, we will remain disappointed. If we insist that Jesus solve all our worldly problems on our timetable, we will keep stumbling over the things that we can’t understand. But if we will take Jesus on His own terms, bowing the knee to Him as our Lord and trusting Him to save us in His way and in His time, that’s when we will be truly blessed.

Luke 7:18-35 (NASB)

18 And the disciples of John reported to him about all these things.
19 And summoning two of his disciples, John sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are You the Expected One, or do we look for someone else?”
20 And when the men had come to Him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to You, saying, ‘Are You the Expected One, or do we look for someone else?'”
21 At that very time He cured many people of diseases and afflictions and evil spirits; and He granted sight to many who were blind.
22 And He answered and said to them, “Go and report to John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have the gospel preached to them.
23 “And blessed is he who keeps from stumbling over Me.”
24 And when the messengers of John had left, He began to speak to the multitudes about John, “What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind?
25 “But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who are splendidly clothed and live in luxury are found in royal palaces.
26 “But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and one who is more than a prophet.
27 “This is the one about whom it is written, ‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You.’
28 “I say to you, among those born of women, there is no one greater than John; yet he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”
29 And when all the people and the tax-gatherers heard this, they acknowledged God’s justice, having been baptized with the baptism of John.
30 But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected God’s purpose for themselves, not having been baptized by John.
31 “To what then shall I compare the men of this generation, and what are they like?
32 “They are like children who sit in the market place and call to one another; and they say, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not weep.’
33 “For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine; and you say, ‘He has a demon!’
34 “The Son of Man has come eating and drinking; and you say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man, and a drunkard, a friend of tax-gatherers and sinners!’
35 “Yet wisdom is vindicated by all her children.”