Devotional Thoughts for Today
Lk. 10:29-31 (NASB): “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, and they stripped him and beat him, and went away leaving him half dead. [31] And by chance a priest was going down on that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. [32] Likewise a Levite also, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.”
Lev. 21:1 (ESV): “Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron, and say to them:
‘No one shall defile himself for a dead person among his people. . . .’”
Many Korean churches list the names of the church members who tithe in their Sunday bulletin. Naturally, most people would check to see, first, whether their name is included in the list, and second, whose name is not there. So, does this practice generate more revenues for the church? Not necessarily, since some people put whatever amount in an envelope and then write, “Tithe.” Apostle Paul would refer to that as “having a form of godliness but denying its power” (2 Tim. 3:5).
In many ways, the priest and Levite in the parable were no different: they appeared quite godly since they obeyed God’s law that kept the priests from touching the dead lest they became defiled. Especially on this day, the priest and Levite couldn’t afford to do that since, presumably, they were heading to Jerusalem because it was their division’s turn to serve in the temple. Knowing full well of the consequence of touching a dead body—“Whoever touches the dead body of any person shall be unclean seven days” (Num. 19:11)—they weren’t about to jeopardize this long awaited opportunity to shine.
But there was just one problem: the man wasn’t quite dead. Before these two made a wide turn to pass by the other side, they were close enough to hear and see a man writhing in pain. Had they touched him to help, while their fine outfit might’ve been stained by the man’s blood, it wouldn’t have made them unclean. Thus, not helping wasn’t so much that they were concerned about being defiled but that they eschewed being inconvenienced and “look[ing] out for . . . the interests of others” (Phil. 2:4); nothing was going to stop them from getting what they wanted. And like a criminal with a perfect alibi, these two had a perfect excuse: We thought he was dead and didn’t want to be late for the temple work.
Is looking good before people and getting what you want really important to you? When we live like that, we miss out on opportunities to love our neighbors in need. Let’s live our lives with a form of godliness without denying its power. When you see an opportunity love a neighbor today, just do it!
Prayer
Lord, who isn’t guilty of desiring the praise of men rather than God? I’m guilty of that a thousand times over. How many times have I pretended to be holy before men when I was full of envy and resentment! Forgive my sins and help me to care more about what You think than what men think. Amen.
Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 40
Lunch Break Study
Read Matt. 6:1-4 (NASB): “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. [2] So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. [3] But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, [4] so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.”
Heb. 6:10 (NIV): “ God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.”
Question to Consider
- What drove these people to do good deeds?
- What drives people to act like that? What do they want?
- What should motivate us to do good deeds? What are some areas in your life that are driven by your desire to appear godly while denying its power?
Notes
- They really craved for people’s approval; they wanted people to think that they were really righteous, generous and kind. Is it insecurity or having been reared without receiving much love? Or, is it a result of being praised too often?
- Ultimately, it is because they have no relationship with God, by choice. They have little or no relationship with God because they don’t prioritize spending time with God. People who hunger for immediate gratification find God’s response too slow and God’s presence too intangible.
- By faith we do good because it matters to God; we do good because of its inherent goodness; we do good because it helps people; and it is okay to do good, knowing that God will reward us.
Evening Reflection
Did we face a situation today where we acted and talked holier and more loving than what we really were inside? How can we walk more authentically with others and with the Lord? Among other things, it won’t happen without spending some alone time with Him: “Be still, and know that I am God” (Ps. 46:10).
“Bobby” who was in my youth group in the early 1980s would’ve agreed with that conclusion. After a teaching based on the wise and foolish builders, I had the students draw a picture to show what they’ve learned. But when I saw Bobby’s drawing, it dawned on me that many Christians think this way: In the world according to Bobby, the natural disasters (rain, flood, and wind) in the parable struck only the house built on the sand (i.e., “bad Christians”), but the house built on the rock (i.e., “good Christians”) was completely spared.
The first time I really felt how illusory Bobby’s world was when my sister-in-law died of cancer at the age of 32; she left behind two small children. The second time was when my brother-in-law also died of cancer at 43; he, too, left behind two small children. Both were believers. And I didn’t find much solace in Kushner’s words: “I can worship a God who hates suffering but cannot eliminate it, more easily than I can worship a God who chooses to make children suffer, for whatever exalted reason.” But I felt that you should let the grieving parent mourn, while you bite your tongue and speak not. Elihu bit his while listening to Job defend himself against his misguided friends, saying, “It profits a man nothing when he tries to please God” (34:9), until he could bear no more.
To do that, Jesus went along with this man’s thinking based on the Law of Moses: “Keep my decrees and laws, for the man who obeys them will live by them” (Lev. 18:5), that is, obtain eternal life. Therefore, “Do this and you will live” implies that the lawyer had failed to keep God’s law perfectly, and as a result didn’t have eternal life. Feeling slighted, since he thought otherwise, the lawyer “wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbor?’” This is when the parable of the Good Samaritan is given, not necessarily because Jesus wanted to emphasize a lesson on loving our neighbors, but to help the lawyer see that “all our righteous acts are like filthy rags” (Is. 64:6). Once the lawyer recognizes that, he is ready, not only to hear the gospel, but to believe it as well.
While some teenagers may come to church to meet cute boys or girls, and some grownups for business opportunities, this lawyer came to Jesus for an entirely different reason. Here, the lawyer came “to test” Jesus, which the Greek word ekpeirazō is used; but the same Greek word is used when Jesus tells the devil, “Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God” (Matt. 4:7 KJV). While testing measures a student’s progress, tempting is to seek his downfall; this lawyer “tempted Jesus” (KJV). He probably belonged to a group of “Pharisees and Herodians” who tried “to catch [Jesus] in his words” (Mk. 12:13) to accuse him.
The first film to win 11 Oscars is “Ben-Hur,” based on the bestselling novel, Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ, by Lew Wallace in 1880. He began that project with “no convictions about God or Christ”; writing was only an outlet for his creativity. But, an unexpected thing happened. Wallace said, “I need to do the research; I need to learn the Bible. . . . Long before I was through with my book, I became a believer in God and Christ.”
There was a girl I knew very well when growing up. Though she was not a believer, she was curious about what we believed and sometimes attended my local youth group. However, during a one-on-one conversation, a member of my church told her without further explanation, “You are going to hell!” Deeply offended, she stopped speaking to us and stopped showing any interest in coming out again. Nobody knew how to explain the Gospel with great sensitivity, and though we tried to mend some bridges and attempted to explain more fully each person’s true need for Christ, it seemed too much damage had been done.
In this recounting, Jesus drives demons out of two demon-possessed men who had been living among the tombs. Either by the demons’ choice or their own, these men were isolated from society due to their condition. Upon meeting them, Jesus frees them by sending the demons into a nearby herd of pigs (which promptly drowns), much to the shock of those tending the pigs.
Lk. 7:37-50 (ESV): And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, [38] and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. [39] Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” [40] And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.” [41] “A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. [42] When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” [43] Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” [44] Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. [45] You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. [46] You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. [47] Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” [48] And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” [49] Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” [50] And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
For a long time, the judge shows zero interest in addressing the widow’s grievance; her lack of stature only adds to his indifference. But the judge’s mind wavers as she keeps shouting and even banging on the door; he is clearly overwhelmed by it. As the days turn into weeks, the judge, out of sheer exhaustion, relents; she gets what she came for: justice.
Read Lk. 2:46-55 (NIV): “And Mary said: ‘My soul glorifies the Lord [47] and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, [48] for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, [49] for the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is his name. [50] His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. [51] He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. [52] He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. [53] He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. [54] He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful [55] to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors.’”
“How much?” asks the merchant, to which the owner responds, “It’ll cost you everything you have.” Although the buyer offers all his cash and property, the seller demands even more. Upon being told, “I’ve nothing else except my wife and children,” the owner says, “They become mine too.” Though the merchant is troubled by what this is costing him, he reluctantly gives them up, but the seller isn’t done, saying, “There is one more thing I want.” Feeling indignant, the buyer shouts, “I don’t have anything else!” But the seller retorts, “You become mine, too.” Does the merchant want the pearl that desperately? He must have, since the phrase “sold everything he had” could extend to selling himself as a slave, especially in the antiquity when this was practiced (Gn. 44:16). But as the pearl is being handed over to the buyer, the seller says, “You can take back everything—cash, property, you and your family –I’m lending them to you; when I need it, I’ll take it back.”
This parable tells us not to “offer sacrifice to the LORD . . . that cost [us] nothing” (2 Sam. 24:24). Since everything we own belongs to Christ who paid for them with His life, when He calls for them, whether it be our availability, money, career, kids or spouse, we “give . . . to God what is God’s” (Matt. 22:21). What is He asking you for right now?
A famous author on leadership (a former pastor) was impressed by how Enron got so huge, very fast (“A decade later . . . the revenues were $101 billion . . . its assets . . . $53 billion”). No one knew then that the heads of this energy company hid, using deceptive accounting methods, enormous debts from bad deals. The oversight made by this author is the kind that some pastors and businessmen make: being mesmerized by anything that grows very fast, and then copying what appear to be impressive methods.
A while back, I met a Vietnamese pastor who suffered for 3 years in prison for his faith. But his church, instead of dwindling during his absence, grew; and some 30 years later, it had 423,213 members in 2,388 churches. In China, after the communists drove out all western missionaries following the Cultural Revolution in 1949, many in the West worried that the church would die out under communist persecution; instead, it flourished throughout China: from 840,000 to 100 million believers by 2007.