Read Luke 7: 28-35
I Can’t Tell The Difference.
As Jesus was talking about John to the crowd on how he was the forerunner for the Messiah, all the people and tax collectors acknowledged God’s way was right because they had been baptized by John. They believed in John’s words and him pointing people to the Lord.
However, the Pharisees and the experts of the law rejected God’s purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John. They refused to believe John was sent by God and subsequently refused the message of Jesus.
Jesus uses a parable of children playing in the marketplace to illustrate the hard hearts of the Pharisees and experts of the law. The children refused to participate in the games just as the Pharisees and experts of the law refused to accept John the Baptist as being sent from God; and their hard hearts kept them from receiving the message that Jesus taught them.
Jesus confronts the Pharisees and experts of the law by criticizing that which they rejected because of their hard hearts.
In verse 35 Jesus concludes that wisdom is proved right by its fruit and impact on others; and not by conforming to human expectations, especially the expectations of the Pharisees and experts of the law.
Do you believe the wisdom that says God sent John to be the one who would prepare the way for Jesus, the Son of God? If yes, then do you believe in the teachings of Jesus? If so, then the fruits in our lives will give evidence of that belief. It will be recognized by others. If people can’t tell the difference between you and non-believers, then we have a problem. Fruit is the work of the Holy Spirit in and through our lives. The fruit will first transform our lives, and will also impact the lives of others. How are we doing with that?
