Greatness: Matthew 14-20ਨਮੂਨਾ

When I was a child, I remember going to my rich aunty’s house for lunch. They served snapper. Every person was presented with a whole snapper on their plate. While I had eaten fish before, I had never been confronted with a full fish; skin, bones and the eye looking up at me! I had no idea how to even start eating it, so I watched those around me and tried to mimic them.

My mimicking of others was not that successful. I was trying to become someone I was not. I desperately wanted my actions to show I was sophisticated and could eat with the adults.

Jesus called the Pharisees and scribes out for mimicking. He tells them they are so focused on traditions that they are not working on their hearts. They looked the part on the outside, but inside they were phonies and they were unable to hide it from Jesus. He admonishes them saying, “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me” (Matthew 15:8, ESV).

The Pharisees held their traditions, rules, and religiosity higher than God. Jesus was not impressed. God is interested in the heart, not in outward appearances that we can fake to make ourselves look good.

Today, ponder this: In what ways are you mimicking in your walk with God rather than working on your heart? Take the time to examine and ask God what may need to change.