Growing Up
In Matthew 11:16-17, Jesus is speaking to the multitude of people and says:
But to what shall I liken this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their companions, 17 and saying:
‘ We played the flute for you,
And you did not dance;
We mourned to you,
And you did not lament.’
I would also like to share the The Message Bible translation which gives a more vivid portrayal of how we can be in these days and times:
How can I account for this generation? The people have been like spoiled children whining to their parents, ‘We wanted to skip rope, and you were always too tired; we wanted to talk, but you were always too busy.’
Sometimes we really need to look at ourselves in the spiritual mirror of God to see if we are being babies and have constant complaints. We can whine and cry about the most minor things, trying to test the Lord, provoking Him to do something. We always seem to want more even if it is not feasible to have. Through the hardness of our hearts, the Lord may allow us to have it, causing our flesh to be temporarily satisfied. However, when we lose it all, we raise our fist in anger at the Lord, placing blame on Him for our mistakes. However, if He did not allow us to have what we so desperately desired, always warning us of the consequences to come, we would be blinded by our desires and blame Him for not allowing us to have whatever it may be. Let’s live for the Kingdom of God putting all selfish desires for the materialistic nonsense of this world aside. Let’s grow up in the Spirit of the Lord.