Dear God,
I am reflecting upon the integrity and goodness of You, the Father and Jesus, Your son. It is so easy for we people of earth, to be swayed and view more favourably someone who is well dressed and spoken, who fits our mould of respectable and pleasant, than someone looking scruffy or doing deeds that is not socially acceptable. We are only able to view the outside actions, words and expressions, as an indication of what is going on in the inside of a person. Even though I may have a high opinion in my ability to judge how a person is thinking, I have been taught that we are more often than not wrong. I am reminded in Your sacred Scriptures, we are to judge the motives of no man as it can lead to the sin of misjudging that person.
A number of times, the priests and disciples, were disconcerted when Jesus revealed he had known what they were thinking. Once again Jesus was bought a man to be healed, He said to the paralytic ‘Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.’ Matthew 9: 2 – 4 the beautiful act of healing and a sinner being forgiven; which could only be done by the power of God, were lost on the scribes. Instead in horror, said ‘This man blasphemes!’ Verse 4 Jesus, knowing their thoughts said, ‘Why do you think evil in your hearts?’
Jesus was not influenced by the estimation the community put upon certain people, and the jobs they were currently doing; for He knew the heart and thoughts of each. Jesus, Matthew 9: 9”…saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, ‘follow Me.’ so he arose and followed Him.” In loving acceptance Jesus did not repulse the ‘many other tax collectors and sinners’ that ‘came and sat down with Him and His disciples.’ Jesus is our Saviour, and sinners like me need to everyday humble ourselves in repentance and confess every sin. Verse 13 “………. For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.
May it not be so, that I or any one reading this, will like the priests and scribes not know that they were in great spiritual need and stood naked of righteousness before God. You God know my heart, motives and intentions, please reveal to me my spiritual needs so I can make them all right with You, and be covered by the righteousness of Jesus; for none of us have any of our own.
Amen