"Take a look at yourself..."
I was reading Matthew's Gospel account, a song popped into my head. I heard, in the voice of Elvis, "Put Your Hand in the Hand." As I read the story of Jesus walking on water in Matthew 14, a soundtrack began to lightly play as I pressed on into chapter 15.
I heard:
"Put your hand in the hand of the man
Who stilled the water
Put your hand in the hand of the man
Who calmed the sea
Take a look at yourself
And you can look at others differently
Put your hand in the hand of the man
From Galilee"
"Put your hand in the hand of the man
Who stilled the water
Put your hand in the hand of the man
Who calmed the sea
Take a look at yourself
And you can look at others differently
Put your hand in the hand of the man
From Galilee"
Then, when I got to 15:8 and thought, I don't want to be that! Let me make sure I'm looking at Jesus and allowing Jesus to help me look at me. I know Matthew 15:8 is a quote of Isaiah 29:13, and I am familiar with that passage, and I do not desire to be guilty in either context.
The passage:
1 Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said,
2 "Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat."
3 He answered them, "And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?
4 For God commanded, 'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.'
5 But you say, 'If anyone tells his father or his mother, "What you would have gained from me is given to God,"
6 he need not honor his father.' So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God.
7 You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said:
8 "'This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me;
9 in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'" - Matthew 15:1-9 ESV
1 Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said,
2 "Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat."
3 He answered them, "And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?
4 For God commanded, 'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.'
5 But you say, 'If anyone tells his father or his mother, "What you would have gained from me is given to God,"
6 he need not honor his father.' So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God.
7 You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said:
8 "'This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me;
9 in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'" - Matthew 15:1-9 ESV
Here's my point. I believe in edifying believers. I believe in evangelizing those unsubmitted to God through Christ. I believe in sharing the gospel. I believe in encouraging my brothers and sisters. I believe in confronting wrongdoing and I believe in accountability.
Still, I want to be careful to take a look at Jesus. I want to be careful to take a look at myself. When I remember His goodness and my brokenness, like the song says, I will look at others differently.
It's a lot harder to look on someone else in a harsh way once we've remembered in a fresh way our own desperate need for grace. I'll take that counsel today. How about you?
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