Honorable Profit

Mark 7: ⁸ For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men —the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do.”

⁹ He said to them, “All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition. ¹⁰ For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ ¹¹ But you say, ‘If a man says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban”—’ (that is, a gift to God), ¹² then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother, ¹³ making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do.”

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“Network” was the answer to all of my woes. “Why don’t you get out there and meet some people” they said. I observed network techniques from those around me. In closed doors they would speak their poison about a person, but when we met with them, they were best friends. “Hmm… As long as they don’t know I don’t like them I can still use them to get ahead. Got it!”

• There were times I wanted position.
• There were times I wanted power.
• There were times I wanted respect from a community who only respected the rich and powerful.

Honor was used earlier in this chapter by JESUS. HE spoke of the Pharisee’s lack of honor by pretending to be holy. Now JESUS speaks on profit focused people passing on traditions steeped in money. “As long as I am rich, I can dishonor anyone I please, even my parents” is the attitude JESUS is addressing.

• JESUS says to me “Add honor to everything you do.”
• JESUS says to me “I love it when you honor ME with your heart.”
• JESUS says to me “Honor should always go before profit.”

When I place profit before honor, I may use “dishonest scales.” More for me and less for you would be my first line of thought. BUT GOD wants me to be different. HE wants me to honor everyone around me and bless those who cannot bless me in return. HE wants me to highly respect those who taught me so I would never push them out with my pride.

• Are you dishonoring people?
• Are you embarrassed about what you have become and blaming it on others?
• Can you stop spitting out poison and speak in “high regards” about people GOD has placed in your life?