And then in verse six He makes an incredible statement: “Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.” The word that’s used for stumble is the Greek word skandolizo from which we get our word scandalized. When Jesus doesn’t do what we want, when He doesn’t act like we think He should, when He leaves us to languish in a prison of physical or emotional pain or depression or unemployment or loss, are we scandalized by Him?

That’s not an academic question because the realities of life have a way of chipping away at our belief that God loves us and desires our good. When bad things happen we always ask: “Why didn’t God do such and such?” You fill in the blank: Why didn’t God heal my mom, save my marriage, get me married, find me a job, heal my failing health, protect those kids at Columbine, or save my husband, wife or child from that terrorist bombing?

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I can guess that the Baptist — who knew what Jesus was doing — thought to himself, “Cousin, that’s great…the blind, the lame, the lepers . . . But I’m in prison and Herod’s gonna cut my head off!” I think we relate to that kind of doubt. “Jesus, I believe in my heart that you’re the Messiah but are you the Messiah for me? I’m hurting and you seem completely out of touch with my hurts and my needs!”

A number of years ago I was confronted with a decision that I knew would alter my life. I prayed about it a lot, then the night came when I had to make the choice. And when I was on my way to tell the person what I had decided, I prayed, “Lord, if I’m making the wrong decision, cause the car to stop or give me a flat tire — anything to stop me before I get to the person’s house.” But the car ran fine, the tires didn’t go flat, I got to the person’s house and told them I had decided to go a different direction. About a year and a half later, I sat alone in a parking lot crying my eyes out because from my perspective I had made the wrong decision. And I’ve asked myself some hard questions ever since: “Did God speak and I just didn’t hear? Did He mislead me? Doesn’t He care about my needs?”

Is it wrong to ask those questions? Is it ungodly to doubt whether or not God knows what He’s doing? Frederick Buechner says that, “Without destroying me in the process, how could God reveal Himself in a way that would leave no room for doubt? If there were no room for doubt, there would be no room for me.” But some of you are thinking: What about James 1:6? He who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person, being double-minded and unstable in all his ways, must not suppose that He will receive anything from the Lord.

In light of that verse, we’d expect Jesus to really rip on John. Look at v. 7 and following. As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: ‘What did you go into the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind? If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings’ palaces. Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written: “I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’ Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist.