Pray:
Lord, where I am blind, help me to see. Help me to understand things for what they really are.
Read:
Matthew 23:13-24
Reflect:
Do you see the value of God's priorities as reflected here?
An angry Jesus can make us uncomfortable, not just because a benign God is more appealing. Sometimes his criticism of the religious can reflect back on us, too.
As Jesus begins to utter seven "woes" to the Pharisees, he repeatedly uses the metaphor of blindness, twice calling them "blind guides" (16,24). Despite his anger, these words are chosen carefully. Blind people can't, in the physical sense, guide others; they need guides themselves. So the Pharisee way is upside down in Jesus' eyes; they're telling others what to do when their own lives need to be realigned.
This is a challenge for all who lead. When we help guide others, are we leading them closer to God or actually pulling them in the wrong direction? A good leader needs God-given vision. Indulging our pride or self-righteousness, like the Pharisees, can impair our ability to lead others clearly.
As Jesus explains in verse 23, vision impairment can cause us to read only half of the law--the religious part. Justice, mercy and faithfulness are equally important, and they are incompatible with a hypocritical lifestyle.
Apply:
Consider the example you are leaving for friends, children, co-workers. Ask Jesus to examine and set things right.
Pray:
God, renew my vision, so that I might rightly see what it means to follow and serve You.
