GOoDLifePre-Cept.me
By KeviJ
I still remember the first time I heard Michael Hunter’s voice — smooth, thoughtful, and full of promise—on one of our many late-night calls that stretched to as late as 4 a.m. I sat amused by him; he was just a friend of a friend at the time, and I didn’t expect things to go any further, because I’d never met him. His cousin Corey from school had given me his phone number a few months before. Yet our endless conversations made me believe this was something that could be close to true love. When the day finally came to meet him, my heart raced with anticipation; I was convinced every detail would match the magical tall light and handsome gentleman I’d visualized in my mind for months. But as Michael stepped into view, reality didn’t line up with the fantasy—he wasn’t the tall, confident, charismatic type I’d imagined at all. Awkwardly, I kept my distance, uncertain and suddenly shy around him, the spark of our midnight calls was flickering in the daylight. Despite his kindness, and unwavering interest, I let the moment slip away, never to call him again, and I ignored his countless calls to me. Sometimes, the stories we spin in our dreams dissolve when faced with truth, leaving us to wonder what might have been.
The kingdom doesn’t come to entertain—it comes to transform.
Looking back, I didn’t reject Michael because of who he was—I rejected him because he didn’t look like what I thought I wanted. And in that, I realized I’m not so different from the crowd Jesus addressed.
Just as I had a “particular type”, and Michael wasn’t it, Jesus was addressing a crowd of Pharisees and teachers of the law who didn’t think he came in the package they expected; therefore, they rejected him. But wait, wasn’t that the same reason they rejected John the Baptist? He, too, didn’t come in the right package? These people were never satisfied.
“To what, then, can I compare the people of this generation?”
He paints a picture of children playing the flute in the marketplace and expecting others to dance, or singing a sad song, expecting others to mourn. It’s this picture of passive-aggressive spirituality.
John and Jesus were similar in that they both preached the same message of repentance. John came with fire and fasting, but no miracles, signs, or wonders. Jesus came with fellowship and feasting. Yet both were ridiculed, misunderstood, and rejected. Not because their intentions were unclear—people rejected them because they refused to respond when it didn’t meet their expectations.
Believe it or not, the same resistance is alive today. Many of us (including myself) still want to meet God on our terms. We want him to “speak through our favorite preacher, podcast, or playlist.” Sadly, the kingdom doesn’t conform to comfort zones; it comes through conviction. Paul warns us to avoid this way of life and to challenge ourselves to trade our performers for true prophets. We should never prioritize style over substance. Truth will never change its character to match our preferences. Instead, it waits for mature hearts.
We live in a marketplace of messages, and we can get whatever we want to hear if we stroll long enough or put in the proper prompt. We follow influencers and choose what to believe based on our mood, not the meaning of what’s being said. Like children, we want others to play to our emotional tunes. Because Michael didn’t look like I thought he should, I couldn’t be with him. This question Jesus posed with the illustration of his generation made me ask myself about mine:
What are we like in His sight, or even in our own? What type of generation are we in now? Is it much different than then?
Are we ready to grow in faith—or are we still spiritual children demanding a performance?
Time of Reflection:
** 2 Thoughts to ponder.**
~Truth doesn’t dance to our rhythms. It will always call us into alignment. Respond like mature citizens of the kingdom, not fickle children.
~The truth won’t change to fit my feelings; I must choose to let it change my life.
The Heart Probing Question
**The heart-probe:**
~Am I dismissing truth just because it doesn’t fit my expectations?
Scriptures & study sources
* Luke 7:31-35
* 2 Tim 4:3-4
* 1 Cor 3:1-3
Chronological Study Bible—Cultural insights on children in public places.
Kay Arthur Precepts- Spiritual discernment and kingdom obedience.
Closing Prayer:
Father, I don’t want to be like the children in the marketplace in Jesus’ illustration—expecting others to perform while I sit idle. Teach me to recognize truth, no matter what form it comes in. Give my heart the correction it needs and help me receive it in grace, walking in wisdom so I can reflect Your fullness to the world around me, in, Jesus’ Name.
