Correspondingly, John came neither eating nor drinking, yet people say, ´He has a demon´: the Son of man did come eating and drinking, still people say, ´Look! A man gluttonous and given to drinking wine, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.´…. Matthew 11:18-19 (Reference Bible)
The one who in faith would step out of line with the world far enough to say that Jesus was right, would have to conclude that Jesus´ life was a constant battle with the society where He lived. He could see clearly how things were on a completely different level than the things we typically see and think.
We see the outward condition of everything and say that this is what there is. But God looks with eyes that see not only the motives and intentions behind those acts, but all the secret movements and workings of the Spirit and the eternal. We see a man having a glass of wine or a man making a great living in a less than honest line of work. Our interpretations are always tainted by personal experience or fallen human reason.
God looks out upon His creation with His eternal objectives in mind. Somewhere in His great heart and infinite grace and mercy, He has chosen to share His presence with some worthy souls. One could say that those worthy of having the Divine visit them personally would be those considered most correct.
Most correct in worldly terms would seem those who form the body of believers. The ones we typically think of are those who follow to the letter, the accepted doctrines and rituals of the church. However, Gods sees what we do not. He is concerned with the heart and souls of real people, not hollow showcase pieces.
So when the Son of God walked amongst us, people who chose to look to these externals, could easily mistake Jesus of being a person of questionable character. It was true; He did hang out with known tax collectors and people at parties. At every turn it seemed He was breaking some very well-known rule of the church.
Please don´t get this the wrong way. The church is not what we are attacking, Jesus Himself concentrated His ministries to the church and church-going people and He taught His followers to do the same. What we are attacking is this erroneous habit of ours of looking at the external. God has deeper purposes and His true followers will approach Him for help in seeing and learning those purposes.
Jesus´ heart went out to genuine people who He knew would respond correctly when their hearts realized that it was possible for them to draw near and experience this awesome presence. He wasted little time on trying to convince the Pharisees who had already found all they wanted to find in their neat set of rules and rituals.
Therefore, when you and I are tempted to focus our attention upon the external things of today, let us remember our teacher. Let us bow our heads to Him and bring each individual case before His counsel. Jesus is not dead and if you cannot hear Him, it is not because He is not speaking, but because we are not listening.
Jesus still is our Way. He is our teacher and only by drawing near to Him can we ever learn anything important. He can give us a guide to help us in our finding of Him. He alone can open our eyes and show us the true value of people and things. We must be prepared to set aside our tendencies to look with earthly eyes and look away for Him to make clearer the spiritual ways of seeing things. Those ways are always lifting up the Father and always directed to honoring and following His will and intentions.
Wouldn´t you like to see the direction of His thoughts today, instead of detestable actions we are accustomed to making big of? Wouldn´t you like to see a little of what and how He does. He will be there to help us if we ask Him.
His will be done, in His creation and inside of you and me, and may we glorify God in all we see and do,
Amen
Scott W
Searching For Christ 
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