Fake Family
Clean and Unclean
1Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, 2"Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don't wash their hands before they eat!"
3Jesus replied, "And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? 4For God said, 'Honor your father and mother'[a] and 'Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.'[b] 5But you say that if a man says to his father or mother, 'Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is a gift devoted to God,' 6he is not to 'honor his father[c]' with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. 7You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you:
8" 'These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
9They worship me in vain;
their teachings are but rules taught by men.'[d]"
Reflection of Tommy:
It is easy to appear good and faithful to God in front of others. We can be helpful at Church serving God’s people, saying the right words and even advices others with our Bible knowledge. But, deep down inside, we may not be entirely committed to God, disobeying His commands and not loving Him as we should be. We may also reason our condition by blaming our inability to reject what is not pleasing to God. This is hypocrisy.
Although it is true we can’t be good on our own, but we can always allow the Spirit to work within us to change us. He can give us the strength and discernment to reject all forms of hypocrisy and be faithful to God in all situations. Through this; we will be able to grow more Christ-like each day, relying on God’s power to be a true good and obedient Christian.
Dear Father, thank You for Your constant reminder and guidance when I’m in the dark or being pressured to compromise. Reveal to me through the Holy Spirit any area of my life that are not pleasing to You and help me to change and be cleansed from all unrighteousness. Guide my every step, protect my heart and mind with the atoning blood of Christ that I may walk faithful in Your way always. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.
