You strain out a gnat but

“You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.” (Matthew 23:24)

 

Even if nature’s appearances change, man’s spirituality does not change. This must be a truly despairing fact. The chapter 23 of Matthew tells contents about Jesus the Lord scolding the Scribes and Pharisees. It’s too many if to mention one by one their behaviors studded fully with arrogance and pretense. The leaders’ of this era, especially the leaders’ of the church, is no different from them. On the outside it looks good people, but the inner and actual behaviors of them are not so. So Jesus said not to imitate following their action. Thus we men have no choice but to confess our sins before God and rely on Christ after all.

 

They offered the tithe, but they did not show in practice sincere justice, sympathy, and the faith. Those two are not things to be chosen one of two, but it’s a matter that both have to be performed in practice. Most people are usually living without keeping even one thing of the two. Whether it’s as a form of taxes or as offering of church, if the duty of it is well kept, the function of the society or the church can become normal. But as there are few such church members, the church gradually collapses and only the number of pastors mostly for money increases. Seeing man’s spirituality, that nothing has changed from 2,000 years ago or now, it has to be felt hopeless about how to do really. The more it does, the more we will have to live hard following the words of justice, sympathy, and faith Jesus demanded.

A leader who does not discern right and wrong cannot lead someone other correctly. It’s like may falling into a pit together if the blind leading the blind. None of people one can teach others in complete qualification, so people only should have Christ as a teacher of own life. It is impossible thing to expect a complete thing even from church pastor, too. For he is not a being of God. So, any leader should not think to himself or herself as righteous or complete. Anybody only have to look at Jesus, and rely on His hands to perform their duties. Then the Lord will pass them to a safe path so that they don’t fall into the pit.

People are commonly hard-hearted to others and generous to themselves. However, it is desirable for us to think and behave oneself the opposite way to that. It is common practice to be thorough when digging out other people’s problems and to be fuzzy when talking about one’s problems. People’s mind is almost accustomed about such that atmosphere. So difficult problems of human can’t help but become more deeper day by day. Many people say to bring out a small dust being inside other people’s eyes, but there is laid a big log in front of their own eyes in fact. As Jesus said, after first remove the beam in one’s eyes and then they have to point out the dust in others’ eyes correctly. Only then will it be made a good world.

In order for our behavior to improve, we have to be clean our mind first of all. Jesus pointed out the faults of the Pharisees and Scribes, saying that the outside of the cup and bowl is clean, but the inside is full of greed and debauchery. Then, He said that the outside would be clean, by cleaning the inner mind first. This is so important and natural principle. These days, many people exert themselves to develop their appearances through plastic surgery and makeup. If they try to cultivate their inner personality more than the outer, there might it be hopeful, but they do not so, so it’s a matter. It’s a pity that the inner person has a bad smell, like inside of a tomb with decaying smell, but only the outside is decorated like a painting.

Would be someone qualified as a leader looks like right on the outside but the inside is full of illegality? None of people in the world can be perfect. But at least if know what the problem is and try to find a solution and do it, there is hope for him. On the consciousness of human problem, we can perceive for oneself by reading the Bible. Since the Holy Spirit works specially through the Bible words, the Spirit gives us enlightenment and emotion to our spirit when we read the Bible. The reason why Pharisees and Scribes were rebuked was because they did not practice the Bible, but only trying to decorate their collars of clothes, and houses with it. To be regrettable, they didn’t throw away the dirty things in their minds.

 

The same is also true all leaders of the state’s politics and society. If each person stops blaming others first, there is hope for all of us. And if we for oneself pay attention to purifying our inner self, we will be healthy and clean. For instance, the freckles on the face mostly cause from indigestion and discomfort excepting the hereditary. To make our inner people comfortable and clean, we must experience the inspiration and change in the Holy Spirit while reading God’s words. Let’s try hard to attain a true change in spirituality through Christ.

 

(Written by Koonoh, Pastor of JDO Presbyterian Church in Korea, on Mar 13th 2022)