The Lord comes to judge the earth.
Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice;
let the sea and what fills it resound;
let the plains be joyful and all that is in them!
Then shall all the trees of the forest exult.
The Lord comes to judge the earth.
Matthew 23: 23 – 26 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You pay tithes of mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier things of the law: judgment and mercy and fidelity.
How often do I show mercy? In what areas of my life is fidelity important?
Action: The next time you have the chance to put someone in their place, show a little mercy.
How often do I show mercy? In what areas of my life is fidelity important?
Action: The next time you have the chance to put someone in their place, show a little mercy.
2 comments:
You pose a great question. Too often, I am ready to get justice rather then show mercy. There are so many practical applications for this. We don't know what people we encounter are going through and often, difficult times will weigh on them, causing them to behave poorly toward others. It's our job to show people the Christ in us.
I think there are several dimensions here. To me this is talking about "legalism", meaning, Jesus is saying to the Pharisees that they are so focused on following the rules (bringing gifts of cumin and mint, etc) that they neglect what is MOST important, and that is to see God in all people, and to live on a spiritual level that reminds us that our relationship with God is built through love and care for all of God's people. Our role on earth is not to be a rule keeper - it is to grow in faith and share that faith through words and acts of mercy, so that others will feel God's incredible love and know His wish to be with ALL of us for eternity. -J.W.
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