The COVID
pandemic with all its implications coupled with all the political unrest fueled
by racism and a Presidential election year can easily shade how we view the
world and our place in that world. There
are many voices clamoring to direct our response to everything impacting our
lives and even how we think about all that’s occurring.
God, though,
isn’t surprised or confused with any of this.
He has the answers for each of us in these troubling times. We simply need to turn to His Word. In Paul’s second letter to the Church at
Thessalonica, he encourages them to “not be shaken ….. or be
alarmed.” He goes on to remind them to “let
no one deceive you in any way,” and further “to possess the glory or
our Lord Jesus Christ” and to “stand firm” (2Thessalonians 2:1-3, 14-16).
That message certainly seems to apply directly to us today. It’s so easy to let fear gain the upper hand,
to let it overshadow the fact of God’s constant presence with us. Paul’s message reminds us of God’s love, His
everlasting encouragement, and our eternal hope through His grace; all designed
to encourage our hearts and to strengthen us in every good deed and word.
Psalm 96
reminds us that our Lord is indeed in complete control. No
pandemic nor other forms of evil will have the final word. We can join all creation with joyful
confidence that God’s justice will prevail.
A verse in Hebrews further reinforces the fact that the “Word
of God is living and effective, able to discern reflections and thoughts of the
heart.” (Hebrews
4:12) This amazing fact helps us to
understand that God’s Word applies as much to us today as it did for those
living in Thessalonica. Maybe times of
trouble are the most powerful in leading us back to God’s holy word.
Jesus spoke
often of the sin of hypocrisy; at least it seems that this was one of the sins
that dismayed Jesus the most. He is
rebuked the scribes and Pharisees for making a big deal of paying their tithes
but neglecting the more important part of the law: justice,
mercy, and fidelity.
(Matthew 23:23-26)
Jesus called
the religious leaders of His day blind Pharisees and hypocrites. A hypocrite is defined as a person who
pretends to have virtues, moral or religious beliefs and principles, that he or
she doesn’t actually possess, especially a person whose actions belie their
stated beliefs. The Pharisees and the
scribes of the time were very exacting in their interpretation of the law. And they were extremely careful to obey the
minutest detail of that law; it’s where we get the expression, “the letter of
the law.” Jesus scolded them for doing
this instead of paying attention to the more important matters of
religion. They didn’t have the spirit of
the law. In their misguided zeal they
had lost sight of God and of His purpose for the law. If they had followed the spirit of the law,
they would have understood that God didn’t want them to tithe for the sake of
tithing but to care for the needy and the weak.
Instead the Pharisees used their exactness in tithing and insisting on
the minute regulations to think of themselves in a selfish and prideful way and
to hold those who did not or who were not able to follow these standards in
contempt.
Giving to
the Church or to the people of God, whether through tithing or a general spirit
of stewardship should always be an expression of thanksgiving and a willingness
to do God’s will. The scribes, however,
went to extreme lengths to tithe on insignificant things (such as tiny plants)
with great mathematical accuracy but neglected the more important part of God’s
commandments.
In today’s
world, there’s still the temptation to be hypocritical in the practice of our
Faith and morals (Don’t even get me started on the hypocrisy of our
governmental officials and those who ‘follow’ them blindly!). God doesn’t want us to strike our breasts,
make a show of spending time in prayer or use our devotions to ignore the work He
has called us to. God wants us to be
filled with a sense of thanksgiving as we give of ourselves in prayer and in
the sharing of our time, talent, and treasure.
Most of all, God wants us to hear the words of His Son and be persons of
“justice,
mercy and fidelity.”
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