The Hype of the Hypocrite!

Matthew chapter 23 records Jesus’ sharpest teaching on hypocrites. Six times, He directly calls the scribes and Pharisees hypocrites and seven times, He pronounces woe on these hypocritical religious leaders. This chapter is a deep dive into the hypocrite. 

Notice the hype of the hypocrite (Matthew 23:1-33). They know everything but won’t practice what they know to do. They hold everyone to a higher standard than themselves. They are extremely demanding, yet they will not offer to help someone meet their demands. They are not sincere in anything they do; it is all for show. They love attention and obsess over positions and titles. Their reasoning is so illogical that it makes normal people wonder if the hypocrite is right and if they are crazy. They work tirelessly to mold others to be like them, though they will never let anyone be better than them. They obsess about the smallest details but ignore the things that matter the most. Yes, the hypocrite is full of hype, and hype is all they have. In a word, they are the walking definition of pride. 

What, then, is the antidote to the hype of the hypocrite? The greatest among you must be a servant. But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. (Matthew 23:11–12, NLT) We must replace the hype with humility if we don’t want to be hypocrites. Serve. Be last. Say fewer words. Be an example, not an expert. Love God. Love others. Lose this life for Christ; don’t save it. Notice our ultimate example of humility—Jesus: but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:7–8, ESV)

Thank you for joining me as I read and journal chronologically through the Bible! This devotional reflection comes from Matthew 23; Luke 20-21.

People Watching!

Have you ever sat down, perhaps at a mall, and watched the crowds of people passing by? Maybe you sat down to eat lunch at an event, and while eating, you observed the people around you. Humans are interesting creatures! When you stop to observe people, you see all kinds of interesting situations.

In today’s reading, Jesus did just this. Jesus sat down near the collection box in the Temple and watched as the crowds dropped in their money. Many rich people put in large amounts. Then a poor widow came and dropped in two small coins. (Mark 12:41–42, NLT) What did Jesus see when he observed the crowds dropping money in the collection box in the Temple? He saw how much they gave and what we can’t see—their hearts, and what an interesting situation He noticed! Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions. For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.” (Mark 12:43–44, NLT)

Things are not always what they seem. What is on the outside does not always reflect what is on the inside. Those who appeared to be giving much only gave a little out of what they had. The widow who seemed to give little gave all she had to live on. This reminds me of a verse in 1 Samuel: But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7, ESV)

It is easy to judge someone based on what we think we see. But since we can’t see the heart, making a mistake is just as easy. We are almost sure to make a mistake when pride is mixed into judgment. What a lesson to walk humbly before God and to remind ourselves that not everything is as it seems. 

Thank you for joining me as I read and journal chronologically through the Bible! This devotional reflection comes from Matthew 22; Mark 12.

Judas—The Self-Righteous!

Have you ever noticed that there are plenty of people with opinions on what you should do with what you have, how you should do it, and why? Rarely is it possible to do anything right for these people, which is the case in today’s reading. Mary anoints Jesus’ feet, and a disciple is filled with opinions on what she should have done and why. Then Mary took a twelve-ounce jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard, and she anointed Jesus’ feet with it, wiping his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance. But Judas Iscariot, the disciple who would soon betray him, said, “That perfume was worth a year’s wages. It should have been sold and the money given to the poor.” (John 12:3–5, NLT)

Self-righteous people often emerge to criticize what convicts them. Interestingly, they sound pious in their critiques but care nothing about what they suggest you should have done. Not that he cared for the poor—he was a thief, and since he was in charge of the disciples’ money, he often stole some for himself. (John 12:6, NLT) Judas didn’t care about the poor; he coveted the value of the ointment for himself. He was also blind to the immeasurable worth of the one Mary anointed. He cared neither for the poor nor for Jesus!

Jesus told Judas to leave her alone! In Matthew and Mark’s accounts of this story, he also told him that she had done what she could and that what she had done was beautiful. Self-righteous people don’t do what they can; they are too busy telling others what they should have done. Yes, there will be no shortage of criticism for doing what you can for God. However, never forget that doing what you can is beautiful in God’s eyes.

Thank you for joining me as I read and journal chronologically through the Bible! This devotional reflection comes from Mark 11; John 12.

Investing Into the Kingdom!

Today’s reading illustrates an important truth through the Parable of the Ten Servants. In God’s kingdom, there is the expectation of being wise stewards. There is the expectation of investing and caring for what God has entrusted us. There is the expectation of a return. Notice how Jesus illustrates this. And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds. And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities. (Luke 19:15–17, KJV)

Now, in the parable, not all the servants were so respectful of their master and his resources. Then another came, saying, ‘Lord, here is your mina, which I kept laid away in a handkerchief; for I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man. You take what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.’ He said to him, ‘I will condemn you with your own words, you wicked servant! You knew that I was a severe man, taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow? Why then did you not put my money in the bank, and at my coming I might have collected it with interest?’ (Luke 19:20–23, ESV)

As believers, God has entrusted us with the message of the Gospel, with certain gifts and talents. It should be for us as it was for the first servant in the parable, our great desire and passion to manage them for the glory of God and His kingdom—to one day give an accounting and be able to say, “Your pound has gained ten more!” The Christian life is not a side hustle but front and center. Let’s ask, “How do my actions and use of the gifts and talents God has given me advance His kingdom? After all, is there any greater God to serve than King Jesus? 

Thank you for joining me as I read and journal chronologically through the Bible! This devotional reflection comes from Luke 18-19.

The Generous Landowner!

The Parable of the Vineyard Workers teaches an amazing truth about God’s generosity and grace and the shocking entitlement of the human heart. It also shows us that the Kingdom of Heaven is open to those who would enter it, including those who may be in their last moments of life. 

The vineyard’s landowner has been hiring people all day to work in his fields. Some started early in the morning, while others arrived closer to quitting time. Amazingly, the landowner paid all of them a full day’s wage. This did not sit well with those who had worked all day. They assumed they would receive more than those who worked for a shorter time. When they received their pay, they protested to the owner, ‘Those people worked only one hour, and yet you’ve paid them just as much as you paid us who worked all day in the scorching heat.’ (Matthew 20:11–12, NLT) Those complaining forgot how grateful they were to be hired at the beginning of the day!

Notice the answer of the vineyard owner. But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’ (Matthew 20:13–15, ESV) 

Are we not thankful that God’s kingdom functions based on His grace and generosity, not equality? Those who came early to the kingdom should rejoice that they had much time with the Lord of the vineyard. Those who came late should rejoice that they have not been refused. We all should rejoice; truth be told, none of us was worthy, yet we have all partaken of His generosity and grace!

Thank you for joining me as I read and journal chronologically through the Bible! This devotional reflection comes from Matthew 20-21.