What can we learn from children's behavior in Luke 7:32 about spiritual discernment? Setting the Scene Luke 7:32 sits inside Jesus’ assessment of people who refused both John the Baptist’s austere call to repentance and His own gracious call to joy. He says, “They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to one another: ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not weep.’” (Luke 7:32) The Marketplace Game • Children gather in the busy square, inventing a game that mimics real life—flute for weddings, dirge for funerals. • Instead of entering into either mood, some kids just sit, critique, and complain. • The point: Jesus likens the generation to these unresponsive children—immature observers who demand that God meet their expectations yet refuse to move when He does. What the Children Reveal About Poor Discernment • Fickleness—They shift standards at will; nothing satisfies them (cf. James 1:8). • Peer pressure—They seek consensus more than truth; groupthink overrides honest hearing (cf. Exodus 23:2). • Surface judgment—They focus on style (flute or dirge) rather than substance (joy or repentance). • Self-centeredness—Their primary concern is whether the game fits their mood, not whether it’s right. • Criticism without commitment—They analyze everything but act on nothing (cf. Matthew 23:3). Lessons for Cultivating Spiritual Discernment • Recognize God’s voice in varied packaging – John came fasting; Jesus came feasting. Truth remained constant (Luke 7:33-34). – Discernment tests content by Scripture, not by personal taste (1 Thessalonians 5:21-22). • Grow from childish to mature thinking – “When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.” (1 Corinthians 13:11) – Maturity weighs issues with sober judgment, not emotional whim (Hebrews 5:14). • Avoid the paralysis of perpetual critique – Doers, not hearers only, are blessed (James 1:22). – Obedience clarifies what opinion clouds (John 7:17). • Embrace wholehearted response – Dance when the flute plays; mourn when the dirge sounds—respond promptly to God whether He convicts or comforts (Romans 12:15). • Keep childlike humility, not childish stubbornness – “Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” (Mark 10:15) – Childlike teaches dependence; childish resists direction (Ephesians 4:14). Living It Out • Let Scripture, not mood, set the agenda each day. • Welcome both convicting and consoling voices of God; refuse to pit one against the other. • Practice immediate obedience to the truth you already know; maturity follows action. • Stay alert to the subtle pull of group opinion—test every message by the Word. • Cultivate a soft heart and a steady mind, able to dance at grace and weep at sin without needing to be coaxed. |
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