It's interesting how much grumbling goes on in the Bible. People feel like they should have something different than they do. Imagine if you're hungry and show up at a restaurant with no money and then get upset when you get chicken instead of steak. When I worked in Chattanooga, people would occasionally come into my office and tell me how much they wanted food, and then I'd take them to where we had some extra food, and they always looked so disappointed -- they'd really just wanted money.
When we're beggars, who are we to argue over what kind of bread we receive? But the people listening to Jesus are grumbling because they expected the Messiah to look differently, and because of their expectations, they don't examine him as he is.
It's so hard to set aside our preconceived notions of what something should be -- but that's exactly how Scripture calls us to be. Set everything aside, and examine the facts as they are. Test for yourself if faith can be true. Is Jesus truly the Living Bread? Do his actions and words prove to be reliable? If so, then he must be the Messiah, however unpredictable it might be. And if we follow him, then we will live forever, however unexpected that might be.
We all must decide for ourselves. Are you willing to set aside preconceived notions of what life should look like, of what success looks like, of what is yours and what belongs to God? Lay it all out and let the Holy Spirit blow fresh winds across your life, that you might be led in the ways of faithfulness, drawn closer to God, and renewed by the power of God.
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