Journey to the Cross 2017, Day 14

Thursday, Day 14:  Matthew 15                

It scares me a bit to think that I might have been a Pharisee. Of course, I know that was a male designation because it identifies the religious leaders of the sect – and they were all men. But the point is, I understand how easy it is to be governed by rules. Rules provide safe boundaries – and some rules are necessary. In fact, I am rather fond of rules. I’m reminded of a couple that are a bit humorous in retrospect.

May 11, 1985, my husband’s nephew moved in with us. It was the end of his Freshman year of High School and he lived with us until he was 18. Soon after he moved in, I came into the kitchen one morning and he was eating ice cream. I said, “You can’t do that here.” He wondered why not. I explained that at our house we don’t eat ice cream until after noon – usually as an afternoon treat on hot summer days, or as dessert after dinner. He still pressed with another why not? So I had to determine why it was. I used to hate it when my Dad said “Because I say so.” Consequently, I haven’t used that precise line on my kids. So, I explained that with 4 kids in the house we’d run out of ice cream very fast if they all started eating it for breakfast. It was just a rule of the house – an unwritten, unspoken rule that my kids just understood without it ever being addressed. In their habit, they had only had ice cream in the afternoon or evening. No one had ever contested that before.

Then there was the time when we were working on our property, and the ‘rule’ for burning piles said that the pile could not be left unattended, so I insisted that my husband follow the letter of the law. I would not leave with a fire still burning – and he had to sleep on a piece of cardboard out by the fire to satisfy my need to follow the rules. He is more a ‘spirit of the law’ guy. It is just one of our many differences! I think in ‘what if’s.’ He thinks in likelihoods.

The Pharisees come to Jesus at the beginning of this chapter and ask him why he and his disciples break the traditions of the elders, specifically citing not washing their hands before they eat. I can appreciate that rule. I pick my grandkids up from school often – and the first thing they must do upon entering the house is run wash their hands ‘to wash the world off’, as I call it. They are exposed to all sorts of things that I would rather not invite in, and hand washing is a wonderful deterrent. Jesus uses this opportunity to get to the heart of the matter. They were looking on the outward appearance – but he looks on the heart – and they had lost theirs. In the process of decrying their practice of committing large sums of money to the temple that would customarily have gone to care of their aging parents, he provides a clear model of caring financially for our elders, and makes it absolutely clear that being pious and religious without being invested in the most nurturing of relationships in which we have responsibility is hypocritical. He knew they were giving for show – for recognition from man. Their motivation was wrong.

The lines quoted from Isaiah pierce my soul:

“These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.”

It’s all too easy to become creatures of habit – and go through a form of worship that isn’t truly worship, and no matter what denomination the church is, each has habits it follows. We get in a rut all too easily. True worship has to come from the heart. When I leave my place of worship, does God feel worshipped? I want Him to! I know it is a matter of the heart – and He sees my heart. I know He deserves my praise and worship no matter what my circumstances. I know it isn’t about ‘feeling’ but about intention. I know that He inhabits the praises of His people, and I know that pure, heart-felt praise elevating Him lifts my spirit.

Still, habit creeps into my devotional time as well: getting it done because it is a commitment, rather than being fully invested at the level of the heart. If I placed a sign above the door that states, ‘Did God feel worshipped?’ would it keep me more in touch. Hmmm. Probably not. I just need to maintain a heart-engaged discipline of praise!

I know several people who follow eating ‘rules’ for religious reasons. I respect that – but I do pay attention to what Jesus says here about that issue: food does not make a person unclean – but what a person says does, and he elaborates on the nature of things that come from the heart . . . .

I am a ‘see a need, fill a need’ person.  At the time of this writing I had just attended a special night of Women Singing Praise.  I absolutely loved being in the moment – singing harmony with the worship team, seeing a room filled with women who came together on a designated evening to just be together, connect to God and each other. It was really nice – but you know what?  I awoke the next morning kicking myself.

I saw that there weren’t enough tables – and instinctively jumped into the role of finding them. I was relatively new to the church, so had to find someone who knew. Luckily our head pastor was present at that moment. There was no reason for him to be there – but he was – so I drafted him to help. While we were in the process I saw women heading for the door to leave because they didn’t see a place to sit – and I hollered after them to wait, that we’d set up more tables – while being one of the movers carrying the table they would need. They came back.

My friend, Anita, ran for tablecloths and table settings; Pastor Dan got another man to help him get more chairs. The task was cared for, but what I regret was that in the process I was bossy. I was giving directions to my pastor. He handled it with humor: he saluted me. We both laughed in the moment, and since he is my friend – and had only more recently become my pastor – we both survived the incident. What I want is to be perfect all the time. My heart leads – and what I do comes from a good place – but how I do it matters. I failed in that part of the task. Hopefully it will be an instructive learning experience and I’ll do better the next time. O K – a definite bunny trail there….

This is the chapter that relates Jesus’ seeming insensitivity to a Gentile woman, with his stating that he was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel. It’s a good thing we know this is not the end of the story – that we, too, are grafted in! And the woman’s persistence is a wonderful model to us. She didn’t take offense at his statement. She was willing to take the crumbs – and knew they’d be enough. And she demonstrates perfectly placed faith....

Speaking of crumbs, in Chapter 14 we witnessed the report that 5000 men, plus women and children were fed and 12 baskets full of ‘crumbs’ were picked up. Now, in this chapter we read of another massive picnic. What stymies me is why the disciples asked where they could get enough bread in that region to feed the crowd. Hello? Didn’t Jesus just do an even greater miracle when he fed 5000+, and this time the estimate is at least a thousand less at 4000+?  They had already checked out the available supplies – and this time they knew there were seven loaves and a few small fish . . . .and this time they picked up seven baskets full of ‘crumbs.’ Even the crumbs had been blessed by Him.

The disciples were concerned earlier about the Pharisees being offended. I find it hard not to be offended by Jesus’ response to the Canaanite woman. I know that even though I don’t intend to, I offend. I can tell today is going to be a grappling day!

Lord, somehow help me see others’ hearts as I pray they will see mine. Too often I judge myself by my intentions, and others by their actions. When I judge myself the same way, I don’t always like what I see.

Humor for today:

My daughter and granddaughter were standing in a check-out line.  The older gentleman standing behind them winked at my granddaughter and she winked back.  Then he asked how old she was and after answering, “Four,” she turned to her mother and said,  “Mom, his voice is running out.”