Luke 11:42-44

Luke 11:42-44 “Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone. “Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the most important seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces. “Woe to you, because you are like unmarked graves, which men walk over without knowing it.”

Jesus considered the Pharisees' lives to have so little impact on people that they were like unmarked graves, which men walk over without knowing it. They lived their lives without considering other people's lives as important as theirs, without sensitivity to doing right to others. People who don't love their neighbors as themselves are like clouds without any rain. They make a great show but are without benefit to others. They will not be missed much when they pass on, and their lives will not carry beyond the grave. Their input in life will end at their death. Galatians 5 explains the harvest of the Spirit in a believer's life: the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. A Spirit-led life impacts people, even future generations. These are lives that cannot be so easily dismissed.

The Pharisees majored in minors. For their own glorification, they were pretentious in their service to God. They wanted others to notice them, to respect them, to exalt them. They mainly sought out their own ends and not God's plans and purposes. Jesus said, Woe to you for your lives are counted as nothing. They produced no fruit. We must allow our lives to be fruitful by majoring in God's majors: peace, love, grace, and mercy. When we do that, we reveal God's goodness, his image. As God is fruitful, we become fruitful, worthwhile. We will have a lasting impact on humanity. Our children will follow us, others will respect us.

When we are self-absorbed, majoring in minors such as household rules or how our children should act at all times, we lose track of God's vision for us, and we will not get the results we expect. Children raised outside of the unconditional love and mercy of God often exhibit negativity and withhold love from others including their parents. In every aspect of life, we must seek God's ways, not our own. On Tuesday night, Jacqueline and I were at the ER with her father until almost midnight. Again last night we were in another ER with her mom, who is now hospitalized. What impressed us most is how much they appreciated our presence, our love and encouragement in the face of sickness and uncertainly. If we have the mind of Christ, we will love and respect others as ourselves, always desiring justice and mercy for everyone. Therefore, don't neglect the voice of God, continue to show up, live in the moment for Christ as his children in every action.