"Woe to you, [self-righteous] scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you give a tenth (tithe) of your mint and dill and cumin [focusing on minor matters], and have neglected the weightier [more important moral and spiritual] provisions of the Law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the [primary] things you ought to have done without neglecting the others. You [spiritually] blind guides, who strain out a gnat [consuming yourselves with minuscule matters] and swallow a camel [ignoring and violating God’s precepts]!
“Woe to you, [self-righteous] scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the plate, but inside they are full of extortion and robbery and self-indulgence (unrestrained greed). You [spiritually] blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the plate [examine and change your inner self to conform to God’s precepts], so that the outside [your public life and deeds] may be clean also.
“Woe to you, [self-righteous] scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which look beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean." - Matthew 23:23-27 (AMP)
The world constantly pressures us to believe we need more—more things, more status, more approval. We are bombarded with messages urging us to upgrade, to keep up with trends, to spend money on the latest gadgets, even when the ones we have work just fine. Social media demands our attention, convincing us that we must always be engaged—scrolling, liking, commenting—keeping up with everyone else’s business while neglecting our own spiritual growth.
Woe! There are more important matters.
Jesus, in addressing the crowd and His disciples, issued eight warnings—eight woes. In Matthew 23:23-27, we see three of them. The Pharisees and scribes were so focused on minor, external matters that they neglected the weightier, more essential aspects of God’s law. Justice, mercy, and faithfulness—these, according to Jesus, are what truly matter.
Yet, how often do we do the same?
Some of us are more invested in celebrity gossip than in deepening our relationship with Jesus. Some of us hold on to offenses instead of embracing forgiveness. Some of us care more about the color of our neighbor’s car than the condition of our own hearts. Some are more excited about the next social event than about the state of their soul.
Woe! There are more important matters.
What has captured your attention and pulled you away from God? What minor things have distracted you from the major matters of justice, mercy, and faithfulness?
It's time to refocus. It's time to seek what truly matters.
Comments