Tuesday, August 17, 2021
Camel in the Judean Wilderness
Gnats and Camels
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
It is too easy to judge others and forget to look in the mirror.
You pay tithes of mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier things of the law; judgment and mercy and fidelity.
The words come to us quickly: I am too busy. I already know that. This is just the way I am. We cringe when we think we might have to change our perception of self.
Blind guides, who strain out the gnat and swallow the camel!
We fuss with details and avoid authentic conversion.
You cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of plunder and self-indulgence.
We recognize our sense of entitlement but refuse to move forward in transformation.
Cleanse first the inside of the cup, so that the outside also may be clean.
Jesus is clear. There are steps to be taken. Christ leads the way. There are changes to be made. Do we persist with a lifestyle that is comfortable and known but lacking in judgment, mercy and fidelity? Or do we choose a life of honesty and understanding?
Christ speaks to each of us today of gnats and camels. Christ speaks to us today of honesty and hypocrisy. Christ speaks to us of an opportunity to change. Let us spend some time today with Matthew 23 and look for the occasions we have wanted to strain gnats and swallow camels.
For a humorous post on How to Swallow a Camel with No Gnats, click on the image above or go to: http://www.waynestiles.com/how-to-swallow-a-camel-with-no-gnats/
The Noontimes 
To enter into the conversation, leave a reply