- Today’s Reading:
- Matthew 23:13 - 39
- Psalm 28:1 - 9
Matthew 23:13 - 39
Jesus has some strong words for the Pharisees as he calls them out for all kinds of behaviors. The underlying message of it all was hypocrisy. Practice what you preach and what is preached to you. And remember -- appearances might fool some people, but appearances will not fool God. Jesus says to clean the inside first and then the outside will be bright and shiny (23:26).
I'd say the majority of us put on our best face for church. We might choose not to disclose our problems. We might seem as if we are always cheery and a happy family. I don't think there's anything wrong with that. But don't be a hypocrite. Practice what you preach.
Also, don't be judgmental just because you don't struggle with the same affliction someone else does. You might be right with the Lord in one aspect of your life, but surely there's something else that you could use help with. We all have our problems, we all have areas in our lives that need work and we are all sinners.
We should have compassion and understanding with each other. That's not the same thing as agreeing with something they are doing, but no one said we have to agree with someone to show compassion.
Let's say someone succumbs to a drug overdose -- does that mean that their entire life was worthless? That there should be no sympathetic thoughts when something like that happens? That family and friends still aren't hurt by the situation and needing to be comforted? In the end their soul is not ours to judge. But we are told to LOVE one another. We can control how choose to react to these situations.
Psalm 28:1 - 9
This Psalm simply and handsomely asserts God's protection for His people. It is a psalm of complete faith that the Lord will judge those who are wicked differently than He judges his own people and that the Lord will strengthen and rescue His people.
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