SAINTS ANDREW KIM TAE-GǑN AND PAUL CHǑNG HA-SANG (MEMORIAL)

Wisdom is vindicated by all her children. 

Did you notice that there are two sets of children in this passage? First, there are the children who sit “in the marketplace” (Luke 7:32). Jesus uses this image to describe the people of Galilee, the region where he had performed most of his miracles. These “children” are playing a game that was popular at the time. In that game, if one group sang a joyful tune, their playmates had to imitate the dancing they saw their parents do at weddings. And if they sang a sad tune, they expected to see an over-the-top imitation of the weeping and mourning they had witnessed at funerals.

According to Jesus, this is how most of the people treated both himself and his herald, John the Baptist. They didn’t want to hear John’s supposedly mournful message of sin, fasting, and repentance, so they refused to “dance” to his tune by seeking God’s forgiveness. But when Jesus spent his time celebrating God’s mercy and salvation with the people they considered sinners, they didn’t dance to his joyful tune, either.

Neither Jesus nor John were interested in dancing to whatever tune the people sang. They chose instead to follow God’s tune for their lives. And those who follow their example are the ones Jesus refers to when he says, “Wisdom is vindicated by all her children” (Luke 7:35). These children are his own disciples. Like Jesus, they are humble before God and prefer his song—his will—to their own. They repent when he helps them see their sin. They rejoice when they experience his love. Unlike the marketplace children, Jesus’ disciples are in unity with each other because they are all dancing to the same tune.

Today you’ll have many opportunities to decide which group of “children” you want to join. You can decide to go your own way, like the marketplace children, or keep in step with the Lord, like the children of wisdom. You can decide between pride and humility, between selfishness and love, and between resentment and mercy. As these choices come up, always remember: by dancing to Jesus’ tune, you won’t just be obeying God. You’ll also be revealing God’s wisdom to the world!

“Jesus, help me to follow your song!”

1 Timothy 3:14-16
Psalm 111:1-6
Luke 7:31-35