For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.
What kind of servant are you? John the Baptist came as a critic from outside of the culture looking in. Jesus came as a missionary within the culture. Both roles are necessary and both roles are biblical.*
The Pharisees looked at John and looked at Jesus and rejected both with faulty logic. John and Jesus could do no right in the eyes of the Pharisees because the Pharisees were committed to not receiving the truth.* Rejection does not just come from the Pharisees of our day, however. Servants of God criticize each other far too often. Those called to the wilderness condemn those called to the table while those called to the table alienate those called to the wilderness.
We must understand that God calls different people to different roles in different seasons to champion truth.
As a servant of God, if He calls you to stand on the outskirts of society and critique it, beware. Beware that critique does not turn into self-righteousness for self-righteousness is a dangerous deception (not one is righteous in and of themselves) that leads to pride and destruction. The voice in the wilderness must hold onto the heart of God of compassion and love.
If God calls you to sit in the middle of society to witness, beware. Beware that compromise does not sneak in while truth leaks out. The table is a place to influence, not be influenced. The voice in the culture must hold tight to what is truth and Who is truth.
Both of these roles can reject the other for lack of understanding, or each of these roles can support each other. The one at the table can share the heart of connection and compassion with the one in the desert; the one in the desert can remind and inspire passion for truth in the heart of the one at the table. We need each other in this mission.
The believer must understand when culture needs a critique and when culture needs a friend. Mistaking the season and your role can miss an opportunity to bring people to Jesus. In both cases, culture needs truth.
Today, take a step.
Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to ask the Lord if He is calling you to the table with sinners or the desert with the repentant. Perhaps today God would ask you to repent for judging His servants that you did not understand. Maybe God wants you to see areas in your life where compromise has creeped in, truth has leaked out, or self-righteousness has taken hold. Perhaps God wants to step out and encourage someone who is called by God in a way different than you.
Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.
Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus. Take a step today… just one is fine.
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*Leon, Morris, The Gospel According to Matthew. Pillar New Testament Commentary (Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1992), 284-287, and Keener, C. S., Matthew (Vol. 1, Mt 11:16–19) (InterVarsity Press, 1997).