No, it's not going to be about Duck Dynasty, Phil Robertson, or what he said. (However, I will briefly comment on this, but just to sort of get my point across and as a starting point for my topic.)
What did you expect Phil Robertson to say about homosexuals and African-Americans? He is a Southern, Bible-Belt Christian who is also part redneck.
No, I am not condemning rednecks or saying that all Southern, Bible-Belt Christians are rednecks. What I am saying is, what did you expect?! Did you think he was going to say he approves of homosexuals? He's a Christian. (I won't go on about his other commentary as that one is just something I object to, but I understand how he thinks.)
Granted, he probably shouldn't have said some of the things he said. (I haven't read it or heard it, just so you know.) What I am saying is that you have to consider the source. It didn't surprise me that he got into as much trouble as he did. What I DIDN'T expect was the outpouring of support he got from all over! People may not have agreed with what he said, but they did agree that it was his right to speak his mind, no matter how, for lack of a better word, wrong he was. Who are we to judge what he said? I'm sure we're guilty of thinking or speaking of someone or group of people in a not so positive light.
I digress from my point. So...back to what I was saying about expectations. Matthew 11 talks about the unexpected. Matthew 11:3 we see John the Baptist in jail when he hears of what Jesus has been doing. He sends out a message asking if Jesus is the Savior that he heard of or should the people look for someone else. ".. Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” What did they expect a savior to look or act like? Surely it wasn't this person who looked like a peasant.
Jesus then went around preaching in the countryside. He spoke of John the Baptist. He asked the people who they thought this John the Baptist was. What were they expecting? "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. What then did you go out to see? A prophet?" (Matthew 11:7-9)
It's all about our perceptions of things. Do we view things with a closed mind or heart? Do we judge by what we see? Do we expect certain things of people? Do you expect immediate results when you pray to God? What happens when things don't go as you expected?
When you tell people you are a Christian, what kind of response do you expect to get? What do you think of when someone tells you they are a Christian? Do you expect they are these perfect human beings who walk and talk like Jesus? Or maybe you expect that they will sit there and tell you what a sinner you are, how you will burn in hell if you don't repent.
What did you expect to see happen when you were born again? When you gave your life to God? Did you think you'd be skipping along without a care in the world because now Jesus was going to take of things for you? Or maybe you figured you'd be happier or that your problems would just disappear.
Our expectations of things often will lead to disappointment. We are, after all, only human. We may be Christians, but we are first and foremost human. We make mistakes, we judge, we gossip. (Yes, yes I am well aware these are all sins.) However, as I have stated,we are human. I, for one, am glad that Jesus didn't take one look at me and figured I was too far gone to be forgiven. (I have some real doozies in my past!) But you know what? Jesus still loves me. He has forgiven me. And He will continue to cover me with His grace. No, my life is not as I expected. I still have a mound of problems. I still make mistakes. Sometimes I will even doubt that God knows that I exist.
We are not perfect. Jesus knows we will mess up. What is perfect is the love of Jesus Christ! His forgiveness of us and our short comings is perfect. He died for us, He bore our sins for us. "It is done." Jesus' last words before He died. Yes, Lord, it is done. I am in awe of what You have done for me and my sins. I am humbled by it. Did I expect it? No. What else, though, could I expect from my Savior?
I'm going to draw on an old phrase. The next time you are in a situation or a place and it isn't at all what you expected, stop for just a moment and ask yourself this: What Would Jesus Do?
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