Getting a song stuck in your head can be remarkably frustrating. Even if it’s a song you like, it can still become annoying because you can’t control it, it seems to be controlling you! At the beginning of the summer, out of nowhere, I had the Glen Campbell song “Wichita Lineman” repeating in my brain for three long weeks. I tried ignoring it to forget it, but it didn’t work. I tried listening to it in the car over and over, but it didn’t scratch the itch. I sang it to other people, hummed it, whistled it and pretty much acted like a lunatic. Finally, as mysteriously as it arrived it departed and I haven’t had to “work the main road” for a month and half.

In Luke 7, Jesus figuratively refers to some songs the people wanted Him (and John the Baptist) to embrace more fully so He would conform to what they wanted more than what He was called to be. And into this discussion Jesus unexpectedly brings up the idea of wisdom. He informs them that transcendent wisdom produces “children.” Which is to say, heavenly wisdom creates future and produces legacy. But what Jesus calls “wisdom” in this passage is not exactly limited to our classic understanding of what is wise. 

For me, and probably others, wisdom is what we do when we do things right, when we think through things adequately, when we seek counsel and advice, and when we learn from the past in order to avoid repeating mistakes already made. But for Jesus wisdom seems to primarily be defined as the practice of not allowing the cultural melodies and societal expectations to determine what is acceptable or profitable for the life of those called by God.

But why would it be difficult to ignore these song? It seems the culture didn’t really care what the song was as long as their song controlled things. The only thing that seemed to be important to them was that one of their songs was the one stuck in His head. One song was a wedding march and the other one was TAPS. But the specific tune wasn’t the issue, just the controlling motivation behind them.

A specific kind of wisdom is needed to keep the culture’s choruses at arms length. And if we’re honest, this is a harder wisdom to embrace than the good old “experience as a teacher” type. It’s harder because this isn’t as simple as saying, “this works so we’ll go with it.” This wisdom Jesus describes requires us to diligently turn down the volume of the world’s songs (the good and the bad) and listen for something that originates from a different place. The enemy doesn’t care what song controls us, as long as we’re listening to something, anything other than the Father. Politics or pornography, legalism or laziness; it’s all the same temptation even if the hook sounds different.

It’s important to see what Christ is making clear: the world’s expectations aren’t limited to one side or one opinion, they dwell on both ends of positions and platforms – some songs want us to dance, others want us to mourn – but true wisdom isn’t fooled, godly wisdom doesn’t allow anyone other than the Father and His assignment to determine the song we listen to most closely.

“To what then shall I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like? They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another, 

“‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not weep.’ 

For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ 

Yet wisdom is justified by all her children.” – Luke 7:31-35

There is a way to read this passage not just as Jesus exposing the people’s desire to control things by “choosing the music,” but also as a way to limit the role of John and Jesus and presumably anyone else who would seek to align with Heaven’s song more than earth’s. If the people got to choose the melody that determined the message then they would also get to decide the limits of its impact. They could look at Jesus as say, “oh yes, we love it when you heal and cast out demons, but we’re going to stop the song when you start telling us to turn the other cheek and walk the second mile.”

In the passage Jesus does something interesting, He brings up children twice.

• The first mention of children is to describe the immaturity of the people who are attempting to control the message of the Gospel with their expectations (v. 32)
• The second mention is not about immaturity but longevity, because wisdom produces something that outlives what foolishness makes.

So, when we choose which “children” we will be a part of, we are choosing between extinction and eternity. 

Wisdom, as Jesus teaches it here, is not simply learning how to “go along to get along,” but it is seeing the future implications of present decisions. If Christ had bowed to their desires, or “danced to their song,” He would have been forsaking the future impact He was sent to initiate. Had the Lord let people choose the soundtrack of His ministry He never would have walked through Samaria, showed up in Bethany at Lazarus’ tomb or gone to the Cross (to name just a few differences).

The life of legacy cannot be limited to a single song, or a single generation. Wisdom (which is really just allegiance and obedience to the Father over everything else) is justified by the legacy, future and children it produces – which is to say: the legitimacy of our decisions are confirmed when we invest ourselves in things God says will outlive our mortal lives.

Your life is not designed to be limited to a single stanza. If you and I are keeping our ears angled toward Heaven we will find that we are part of a multi-generational, cosmic symphony. So succumbing to the temptation to live as the culture deems best is not just an easier way, it is really our decision to put down the instrument God gifted us and walk away from the orchestra we’ve been a part of. 

So the question that must be asked (and the question that seems to drive Jesus’ life even when there were myriad pressures to give in and conform to worldly norms) is: what do the Scriptures tell us we’re supposed to be? 

• that question is different than us figuring out what our preferred political party says.
• that question is different than us adopting the patterns of pop culture.
• that question is different than pursuing financial prosperity as a sign of our purpose. 

What is God telling us about wisdom right now?

What is the melody of grace and prophecy declaring right now?

What is the song that elevates the Savior over every other allegiance? 

When we can biblically answer these questions and personally adopt these truths we will find that our decisions create environments that look more like maternity wards than religious rituals – filled with sanctified descendants more than self-appointed doorkeepers. And the reason these questions have such powerful impact is precisely because they direct us to follow in the footsteps of Jesus and listen closely for the song He considered most valuable. The song of Heaven is the “Disciples’ Symphony,” and the wisdom that flows through these notes and measures gives birth to generations and posterity.

What song is stuck in your heart? Which melody do you catch yourself humming? Is it a song of the culture, or the symphony of the Savior?