complain, ‘We piped you a tune and you wouldn’t dance; we sang funeral songs and you wouldn’t
cry.’ Remember John: he didn’t eat bread or drink wine, and you said, ‘He has an evil spirit.’ Next,
came the Son of Man, eating and drinking; and you say, ‘Look, a glutton for food and wine, a
friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But the children of Wisdom always recognize her work.”

Reflect

Expectations can be a very good thing. They can inspire us to work harder and do our best.
But expectations can become a prison, forcing us to live in the rigid boxes that others have.
created for us. We can expect the best from other people, inspiring them and encouraging
them to reach their potential. However, our expectations may limit their potential as we limit
opportunities based on race, class, or other factors. When our expectations become
judgments instead of inspiration, we need to reexamine our motivation. Jesus faced the
burden of expectations from the people of his day. It seems that everyone he met had
certain expectations of what he should be – a revolutionary leader, a king, a religious
ascetic like John. Jesus was not bound by any of those expectations which made it hard
for many people to recognize and follow him. So we should ask ourselves: How do our
expectations keep us from seeing the presence of God in our lives? How do our
expectations keep us from seeing Christ in others?

© Copyright Bible Diary 2023