The 17th-century poet John Donne once said that "When we are mov'd to seeme religious only to vent wit, Lord deliver us." The first thought that popped into my head after reading this was that of the pharisees of the Bible, against whom Jesus had such strong words of criticism. From all outward appearances, the Pharisees had it all together. They tithed, they prayed, they went to the synagogue, they gave atonement for their sins....from the looks of things, they were doing everything that they were "supposed" to do.
But God doesn't look at outward appearances. He looks at the heart, at our motivation. It's so easy to fall into the "church rut" - we pray, we go to church, we tithe, we don't cuss, don't drink, don't smoke....and we think that, as long as we have all the right things checked on our little checklist of "Christian" things to do, then we'll be ok.
That, however, is not enough for God. Anything can be wrong, if done for the wrong reasons. Even something like this blog that I'm writing. It's easy to think, "Oh, it's a daily devotional, how could it possibly be bad??" But what God wants to know is, why am I writing it? Am I writing it because I honestly want to get to know Him, legitimately want to spend time with Him? Or do I simply want others to be impressed with my religiousness? Am I simply "mov'd to seeme religious?" Are you? What's your motivation behind the things that you do?
25 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.
27 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. 28 In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.
But God doesn't look at outward appearances. He looks at the heart, at our motivation. It's so easy to fall into the "church rut" - we pray, we go to church, we tithe, we don't cuss, don't drink, don't smoke....and we think that, as long as we have all the right things checked on our little checklist of "Christian" things to do, then we'll be ok.
That, however, is not enough for God. Anything can be wrong, if done for the wrong reasons. Even something like this blog that I'm writing. It's easy to think, "Oh, it's a daily devotional, how could it possibly be bad??" But what God wants to know is, why am I writing it? Am I writing it because I honestly want to get to know Him, legitimately want to spend time with Him? Or do I simply want others to be impressed with my religiousness? Am I simply "mov'd to seeme religious?" Are you? What's your motivation behind the things that you do?
Matthew 23:23-28
23
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give
a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the
more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You
should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. 24 You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel. 25 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.
27 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. 28 In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.
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