Tuesday 3 Aug 2021

August 3: Matthew 15:1-2
 
Key Verse: Matthew 15:2
‘Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don’t wash their hands before they eat!’
 
Devotion:
How many things do you do in your life just because your friends do them or your parents did them or because so many other people do them? We all do like to follow what other people do, whether it is so we fit in with the crowd, or so we can have things in common with others – but how many things do we do because we want to do them or even better still, how many things do we do because God has asked us to?
 
There are things we do just because we have been taught that way. I can remember growing up in school and doing things just because we were taught to – not by our teachers, but by friends at school or by parents of friends. Then there were the history lessons which we were taught which turned out to be far from the truth; just because the government wanted us to think a certain way. This is probably why I have a very low opinion of governments!
 
I am thankful to people like one of my uncles who stood up against the government and told the truth. People like that who have opened up my eyes in the past. I now try to have an objective view on what others say and do – which means I tend to spot when people are not telling me the truth. I wonder what it was like for Jesus who knew when people were going to lie to Him, deceive Him or even try to entrap Him.
 
Jesus wants us to listen out for the truth and follow that truth. He came and told us the truth all the time. He uncovered many lies and dishonest people during His ministry – not to show them up, but to try and get them to think about how much damage they were doing by not telling the truth...
 
Points to Ponder:
Do you just do what others do?
 
Will you stand up and listen to God’s truth?