“Let Us Set Things Right” by Melanie Rigney
Wash yourselves clean! Put away your misdeeds from before my eyes; cease doing evil; learn to do good. Make justice your aim: redress the wronged, hear the orphan’s plea, defend the widow. Come now, let us set things right, says the LORD: Though your sins be like scarlet, they may become white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they may become white as wool. If you are willing and obey, you shall eat the good things of the land; but if you refuse and resist, you shall be eaten by the sword: for the mouth of the LORD has spoken! (Isaiah 1:16-20)
To the upright, I will show the saving power of God. (Psalm 50:23)
Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying, "The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses. Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry and lay them on people's shoulders, but they will not lift a finger to move them. All their works are performed to be seen. They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels. They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues, greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation 'Rabbi.' As for you, do not be called 'Rabbi.' You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers." (Matthew 23:1-8)
Piety
Lord, Your might and power are endless. Plant a mustard seed in my soul, that I might believe that might and power extend to washing me clean.
Study
Oh, the scribes and the Pharisees.
Jesus acknowledges they were preaching the right things. The problem was they weren’t living them, judging where compassion was needed, polishing their public images instead of getting their hands and robes dirty in service.
The Messiah was right in front of them, day after day after day. But while their works were there to be seen, they couldn’t see what was right in front of them: the promised Messiah. The realization of the prophecies. The earthly culmination of God’s love. Their resistance to the possibility was too strong. To them, things were already set right and would continue to be right if only the itinerant preacher would be quiet.
We, of course, are nothing like the scribes and Pharisees. We don’t judge where compassion is needed. We don’t polish our images instead of getting our hands and robes dirty. And if Jesus was right in front of us, we’d see Him for sure. Right?
Right?
May we be more aware of our errors than the scribes and Pharisees were. May we say yes when the Lord offers to set things right with Him and His people.
Action
Do something for Christ today that you consciously chose not to do yesterday.
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