THE STORY OF JESUS: Mark 12:38-40
“These men will be punished most severely.” (Mark 12:40)
God created us for a purpose, to share His love and blessing with others for Him.
Imagine God’s pain when He sees His servants using Him to oppress others.
All people as sinners are guilty of hurting others in one way or another.
But the guilt of religious leaders is especially troubling.
Jesus draws attention to the teachers of the Law.
Their job was to explain the meaning of God’s Laws, and teach them to the people.
In their twisted, selfish thinking, they turned those laws against the people.
Widows were poor, with no source of income to provide for their families.
Yet they were still pressured to pay every penny of their temple tax.
And if they came seeking justice, the Law experts supported the rich over them.
Jesus offers this clear warning: Those who hurt others in God’s Name “will be punished most severely.”
“Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.” (James 3:1)
I am a religious leader, I am entrusted with the task of teaching God to others.
This is a huge responsibility, for which I am accountable to God.
Am I helping people or hurting people; am I blessing others or burdening them?
There is grace for me, but I need to show grace for others too.
If you are a Jesus-follower, you are also accountable to God for how you represent Him.
May we all take our calling seriously, and be known as a people that bless others FOR Jesus.
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, I am blessed to be a blessing. I have been freely given grace undeserved, may I also freely give that grace to others who may or may not deserve it. Help me fulfill this important responsibility!
I realized this today while practising “How deep the Father’s love” with Diane. I am blessed to be a blessing, but may I too fulfill this responsibility out to others. I remember saying earlier I wasn’t a fan of Mark. That Luke was much more my style in terms of how I deal with life. Though, I realize the push in reading Mark has become transformation for me.
I realized I had and have to surrender a lot of things that makes me feel good, safe, loved, lately to sort of walk alongside Jesus for a short (hopefully short) period of time. Letting go of all the things that seem important (yes they still are) but things that actually may be preventing me from being all I could be.
I realized even reading Mark this week, how much the world has held me back.
The things I think (and they are completely valid things that everyone longs for) are what seems the most important are not. (A family, a relationship, a job, a house, etc.) I know that those things do not always last, and I know true stability can be found in Jesus. So I pray this too that as I learn each day, that I bless others FOR Jesus, not for my own personal gain or reward.