Bubbles, Laughter, and Supposed Irreverence

Compare two environments – the hospital room of someone is dying, the hospital room where a new life was just born. Somber, serious, fear, hurt, perhaps anger and anguish all lie in the one room. Laughter perhaps, showing signs of strain through tears. The labor room, laughter and tears again, but this with the laughter shining through. A lusty cry is a signal to rejoice.


Now, compare these two environments – the temple before and the temple after. The before is the before Jesus came and removed the “den of thieves” from its presence. The before is when the temple, God’s very house, was made the marketplace where quasi acceptable sacrifices could be purchased. Imagine the sound of the birds in their cages, footfalls as people stop and look. Jingling of the coins as a purchase is made. “Over here, look over here. My birds are better. Come friend, let me offer you a deal.” Haggling perhaps was heard.


The after is when “the blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them. ...and the children shouting in the temple area, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David,’” (Matthew 14&15b). Imagine the sounds now. Gasps of wonder and joy as healing occurs, children’s feet running, giggles and laughter giving way to shouts and laughter! What a completely different environment. It is as if the area was changed from the place where the deathbed vigil was being kept by a greedy inheritor to a place of birth and growth.


What was the reaction? Again – there are two environments, “But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple area...they were indignant.” These are the wonderful people who greet us on Sunday morning. “Can’t you contain that child?” “That music is too loud!” “I just don’t care for the way that style of music is played.” “That sermon is a bit too pointed.” “That sermon lasted forever.” “Can you believe that they wore that?” However, as we begin to picture people in our minds, let us not forget to take a look in the mirror as well. The thing is, that those people really are normally quite wonderful. They often have spent their lives dedicated to their church; they give of themselves, their time, and their resources. The priests certainly had a responsibility in their community. They had worked hard, and I’m sure had many unpleasant responsibilities within their positions. However, they could not see the reverence in the sound of a child’s laughter, in a blind man’s sight, in a lame man’s use of limbs. They were still stuck in the deathbed vigil, misplacing reverence and worship with tradition and somber garb.


“‘Do you hear what these children are saying?’ they asked him,” (Matthew 21:16). It’s kind of last ditch effort to make someone take notice that this is just all very improper. “‘Yes,’ replied Jesus, ‘have you never read, ‘From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise?’”