At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. So he replied to the messengers, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.” (Luke 7:21-23)
I was thirteen and about to board a plane with my parents and sister, Pam, to Monterey, California, where my sister, Sue, and her husband lived. My expectations were high, and I was excited. At the beginning of our stay, Sue had arranged for Pam to see sights with a young man, Kit, while the others played bridge. Television was my entertainment. I was too angry to enjoy our day of sightseeing.
John the Baptist also had expectations (more honorable than mine). His cousin, Jesus, was to become more, and he less. But he also expected God would come with vengeance, with divine retribution, and would save Israel, John included. (See Isaiah 35:4). It was unknown Jesus would come twice. Some of John’s expectations wouldn’t happen until Jesus’ second coming. Jesus conveyed to John his ministry was only beginning and warned John not to stumble over Him. Because of wrong expectations, most Jews don’t believe in Him. Because of John’s great faith, he would hear Jesus’ reply, and John’s joy would be complete.
Father God, when my expectations don’t happen, help me seek you so I don’t stumble. When I hear and believe Your words, my joy is complete. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
You have shared with me that the trip to California was a huge disappointment for you years after we made that trip. Your expectations were dashed when you were stuck in the apartment. I don’t remember you ever saying to me that you were mad at the way things were going. I think you just sucked it up and didn’t complain. I do remember Sue’s insistence that we get out of the apartment and do some things. If it hadn’t been for her, I don’t think that we would have even had that one day of sightseeing. Years later I wonder why you would get on an airplane, with your family, and go to California to play bridge. We should have all been out together sightseeing everyday. I remember going to Big Sur as a family and it was a fun and beautiful day. It was the first trip to California that we did all the sightseeing. I know that I have made a lot of mistakes parenting and as I look back on our childhood our parents made a lot of mistakes too. It is strange that I just accepted what was wrong when I was growing up, and didn’t even realize until I was an adult that things were sometimes very unfair in our household. I have had to try and forgive dad for always putting himself first, before his wife and his children. It was always his way. When someone dies, I think we tend to put them on a pedestal and make them perfect in our mind. I have done the complete opposite with dad. For some reason I see all of his faults and failures now that he is gone. Perhaps dad should have been more like John the Baptist, knowing that there was a time that he should have become less.
I realized when I was a child I wasn’t being treated right. Dad didn’t abuse us, but his love wasn’t overwhelming. Mom and I had a conversation after he died, and she told me that dad could never figure out what I wanted. What I wanted was what every girl wants — for her father to treat her like a princess. Dad wasn’t brought up with God’s love. He had horrific parents. But dad knows all about perfect love now, and when we get to heaven he will treat us like princesses.