Back to the Basics

ValMay ♦ May 28, 2013 ♦ Leave a comment

In John 25, Jesus heals a blind man and some of the Jewish folks marched the now seeing man before the Pharisees whose perfunctory behavior was true to form: “obviously Jesus cannot be from God because he didn’t keep the Sabbath.” Talk about missing the big picture! They were always focusing on the wrong things. Jesus kept telling them to open their eyes and look at Him and what is going on. Didn’t happen. 2 Timothy 2:14-18 reminds us of this again. “Remember the basics, don’t get caught up in pious nitpicking, which chips away at the faith… and just wears everyone out.” Isn’t that what the Pharisees did, and don’t we see the same thing happening today in our churches? We are taught “they will know we are Christians by our love” – not our bickering, our rightly dividing the word, or by how busy we are in church activities. LOVE! Show compassion to the hurt and needy and those suffering or lost!

Dear Jesus save us from ourselves! Keep us from forgetting that we all deeply need YOU – your love, your mercy and your grace. Teach us to build one another up in a world that is constantly tearing us down! Help us to see that but for your death and resurrection we would be so lost! Help us keep our eyes fixed on you! Help us to ‘see’ people more than traditions. Help us to reach out to humanity in your name: to not just give you lip service but heart, soul, body and mind service!

“Repeat these basic essentials over and over to God’s people. Warn them before God against pious nitpicking, which chips away at the faith. It just wears everyone out. Concentrate on doing your best for God, work you won’t be ashamed of, laying out the truth plain and simple. Stay clear of pious talk that is only talk. Words are not mere words, you know. If they’re not backed by a godly life, they accumulate as poison in the soul. 2 Timothy 2:14-18