A Checklist for Faith?

Luke 18:10-14—“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.  The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.  I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.’  But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, ‘God be merciful to me, a sinner!’  I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.”

In their day, the Pharisees were known for their self-righteous piety.  They believed themselves to be better than other “ordinary” people because they were “better” at following the law.  They basically checked off the boxes and sneered down their noses at everyone else battling the plight of human imperfection.  Time and again, Jesus demonstrates that the Pharisees’ attitude of empty obedience to the law is not His way.  We are created to be in relationship with God and with each other.  So, if we get to a point where we are merely checking off the boxes of our faith at the expense of being in true compassionate and caring relationship with one another, we are doing it wrong.  When Jesus came, He turned religion on its head.  He made it okay to do the right thing despite the letter of the law—that’s why He did things like heal and pick grain to eat on the Sabbath.  Over 2,000 years later, we still struggle to find the balance of knowing God through intimate relationship with Him and others and adhering to the rules that are supposed to facilitate those relationships.

Today as you pray and meditate on His Word, lift up prayers of thanksgiving for the gift of His Word.  Pray for God to speak to you through His Word and reveal His Purpose in your life.  Ask God to show you how to be compassionate and loving in the way that He desires.  Offer yourself to Him as a living sacrifice today.