Matthew 5:19-20
“Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.”
REFLECTION
It is easy to be fully committed to Jesus as Savior, but if we are honest with ourselves, do we fully accept Jesus as Lord? Jesus did not sin against God, in thought, word, or action. As disciples we are called to emulate Christ’s nature as much as we humanly can. Where we fall short, we are to align ourselves with the Lord’s will even if we cannot fulfil it. The simple truth is that we are to follow God’s commandments fully, never trying to edit or reframe them to suit our own desires.
During this Lenten season of reflection, let us ask ourselves this question: if someone else followed my daily habits, patterns of speech, and priorities, would they draw closer to Jesus? Are we just painting over the cracks in our lives…or are we ready for Jesus to repair the cracks in the foundation of our being? Adherence to the law without the new life that Christ offers us is shallow, performative, and insincere. The world may acknowledge our lives and judge us “good” but God knows our inmost being and judges our righteousness.
PRAYER: Lord, help us to set aside time with you. In that time, shine your light into our heart and expose every compromise, all our self-delusions, and the pride that prevents us from fully accepting your Lordship of our lives. Give us clean hearts and pure spirits to live the new life you have given us by faith. AMEN
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