Both Sides

Luke 11: ³⁷ And as He spoke, a certain Pharisee asked Him to dine with him. So He went in and sat down to eat. ³⁸ When the Pharisee saw it, he marveled that He had not first washed before dinner.

³⁹ Then the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees make the outside of the cup and dish clean, but your inward part is full of greed and wickedness. ⁴⁰ Foolish ones! Did not He who made the outside make the inside also? ⁴¹ But rather give alms of such things as you have; then indeed all things are clean to you.

⁴² “But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. ⁴³ Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces. ⁴⁴ Woe to you, ^[n]scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like graves which are not seen, and the men who walk over them are not aware of them.”

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Mimicking was my form of learning. I mean I had no mentor to navigate me through this new stage of life. I looked at some very successful people and I started to dress like them, go to the same places they went and talk like them, no matter how crass. I wanted success so much that I was willing to lose “me.”

• There were times when I wanted to be on top.
• There were times when I wanted to be revered.
• There were times when my outside looked better than the inside.

JESUS speaks to the Pharisees after being criticized for not washing HIS hands. The criticism was more about “ritual cleanliness” than germ removal. HE saw their judgmental hearts and let them know about the CREATOR.

• GOD made my body and spirit.
• GOD wants me to be brave enough to have character even when those around me do not.
• GOD looks at what is inside of me and is more concerned with growing my spirit than my ego.

Power was my primary pursuit and I did not even know it. I wanted control of my life and, in some respect, control over other folks lives. By being “successful” then I would amass a huge following. BUT GOD wanted something different.

GOD wants me to amass a huge following, but not for me, rather for HIM. HE wants my inside to shine rather than squash. The less powerful I am the more powerful HE is. HE carries me to wonderful places and adorns me with HIS love. HE cleans my inside with HIS SPIRIT.

• Are you trying to make yourself look good in front of a group of humans?
• Do you think your success is more important than GOD’s path?
• Will you ask GOD to clean your inside of bitterness, greed, control, lust, jealousy and hatred today?
• Will you also ask GOD to fill you with love, mercy, kindness, faith and grace?