You Won’t Win

I’d like to offer you some encouragement. There are some people you simply won’t be able to please and cannot get along with.

Inside our own Christian community there are even sects of people that no matter what one does, they are never quite good enough, they aren’t “real” Christians, whatever that means.

If you find yourself in a place that seems impossible, as if there is nothing you do which seems to work to bring peace, welcome to the club. You are in good company.

It struck me like a brick this morning as I have been reading in Matthew that Jesus addressed this very problem in his day. It helps me to see that, as Solomon proclaims in Ecclesiastes, there is nothing new under the sun.

When discussing John the Baptist in Matthew 11 Jesus makes the following observation and proclamation.

“For John didn’t spend his time eating and drinking, and you say, ‘He’s possessed by a demon.’ The Son of Man, on the other hand, feasts and drinks, and you say, ‘He’s a glutton and a drunkard, and a friend of tax collectors and other sinners!’ But wisdom is shown to be right by its results.” Matthew 11:18-19

It’s likely you may find or have found yourself in such a situation. You may have, if you are not a believer in Jesus Christ found yourself in the company of these types of “Christian”. If you don’t fit their mold (neither Jesus nor John fit the mold of the religious leaders of their day) you are cast out.

By Jesus’ statement we can see, John was a kook because he held to an incredibly high standard. Jesus, on the other hand, was a blasphemer, a drunk, a glutton, and a friend of those the religious leaders deemed unacceptable; the tax collector. The tax collector being, of course, in my view, a generalization of a broader statement of all who are “unacceptable”. Jesus apparently, by his own admission, ate well, drank (alcohol), and enjoyed life.

See, you can’t win with some in life. You just can’t.

Here’s the good news. Keep being you. Keep following the right path. It ends well for those of us who do.

Jesus frequently made it clear. He didn’t like much those religious amongst the people. His harshest words were always directed toward those who believed they had a corner on the market of the “right” faith. In their religious and pious self appointed righteousness they missed the Savior and in fact killed him for his “heresy” and “blasphemy”.

These same people are alive and well and walking amongst us even today.

“At that time Jesus prayed this prayer: “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way!” Matthew 11:25-26

Chapter 11 ends with a few of my favorite words from Jesus. Words that we can take to heart when we face people who we simply cannot please, will never please and would do well to get out of our lives.

“Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.’” Matthew 11: 28-29

As this is after the John the Baptist comparison, it sure seems that he is saying.

If I were to surmise, “Ignore these people. They are burdensome. They make your life difficult, hard, and heavy. They are cruel and self serving. And they are all wrong. My load is easy to bear, the burden I place upon you is light in comparison. Let ME teach you for I am humble and gentle”. In other words, in my view, these words seem to say, “I am the exact OPPOSITE of EVERYTHING your ‘religious leaders’ try and say they are”.

Mr. Abraham Lincoln had it right and likely pulled this thought directly from Jesus if I were to guess when he stated;

“You can please some of the people some of the time, all of the people some of the time, some of the people all of the time, but you can never please all of the people all of the time.”

I want to remind everyone reading this of the following.

There were super religious folks back in the day. Well educated scholars who believed they had a corner on God’s word and the right way in which to live. We seem to still have what I would call their “relatives” among us even now.

When Jesus came, they missed him. He was labeled a “false teacher” and killed. I might also add that not a single disciple he chose, NOT ONE of them met the standards set down by these super religious of a real and true God follower in that day. Their cousins and kin are among us today affixing their labels of “heretic” or better yet “tax collector” onto many in the Christian world. They do so at their own peril and in error in my view.

Live life and do the best you can. Many will come in their jealousy and envy and attempt to discourage you and take the wind out of your sails. There are too many reasons they do so to get into for this writing. But clearly these naysayers, these negative Nancys, these wet blankets…they are nothing new.

Ignore them and do what God is calling you to. Follow the Lord. Jesus promises He won’t lead you wrong.

Talk to you soon,

rob out