Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone. (Luke 11:42)
Sometimes seeing something old and familiar just one more time really makes a difference. This is true of the Scriptures that make up the Bible. We may read a passage at one time with little passion for its truth. Then, in another life context, we read it, it connects, and we experience the touch of God in our lives. Did God change? Did God become more relevant? No, of course not. The message was waiting for us all along. I experienced this with today’s Crossing the Lines prayer email.
Premature Disassociation
We can so easily fall into the same traps as the Pharisees. Yet, we gingerly distance ourselves from them. Most Christians do. But, at times our dismissal is premature. Sometimes we actually resemble the Pharisees. That’s why they are mentioned in Scripture. That’s why they receive so much attention.
Me, a Pharisee?
When do I resemble a Pharisee? There could be many times. Luke 11:42 describes only one of the possibilities. They had locked onto the practice of a single religious detail, given that minute pursuit their whole passion and neglected other really important pursuits, one that was especially important. In this verse, the Pharisees were careful to tithe from their herbs. But, they were neglecting two important pursuits: justice and loving God.
Do I Neglect Justice?
Justice actively pursues what is right in the lives of others and ourselves. It’s activism for truth and righteousness. Justice stands up to defend others and condemn evil and treachery. Many of us avoid the boldness, exposure, and trouble which are associated with justice. We say that it’s the job of government, lawyers, police, and other people. God calls us to take up the mantle of activism for the cause of justice. We’re not only a body, we’re also a light in this world. Have we settled for herbal giving and let our light go out or become dangerously dim?
Do I Neglect God?
The love of God describes our actions and behavior that express our love for God. Passive or positional love for God isn’t enough. We have a living relationship with God. Our expression of faith at our salvation or last year don’t count as expressions of our love for Him today. Spiritual disciplines are practices that carve time out of our busy lives to spend time with God. He’s waiting. He always has time for us, each of us. Do we have time for Him? How loved by me does God feel today? That’s a potent question. Once again, have we settled for herbal giving and let our love life with God become dangerously distant?
Am I Caught?
I’m sitting here thinking about how petty it would be for me to become satisfied with tithing the oregano that’s in a small bottle in our kitchen. How would that figurative picture of shriveled spirituality appear in my own life? Today’s Scripture shines a bright light upon our lives, the shine of God’s glory. What is it revealing? The temptation to say, “I’m not the one; I’m not a Pharisee,” is formidable. Has it captured you? I get caught sometimes. That’s why God is still working on me. Don’t get caught in the error of thinking God is finished changing and growing you. There’s still a great distance between God’s holiness and our living in each of our lives. Let’s thrive on the journey there. Embrace revival. Move beyond spiritual neglect. Herbs alone won’t do.