Tuesday 19 Jul 2022

July 19: Matthew 12:46-50

Key Verse: Matthew 12:50
For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.

Devotion:
How many times have you given in to temptations around you rather than doing something you said you would do for someone else? I know I have given in to worldly temptations in many cases and in many ways, not always instead of fulfilling something I promised, but seemingly having the same consequences!

When the crowd told Jesus His mother and brothers were waiting to speak to Him, He took the opportunity to impress on them a new point. When Jesus had said we should love our neighbours after loving God it was to reinforce the fact we have to look out for the people around us just as much as we look out for ourselves – after focusing on God first of all!

Jesus knew it was His earthly mother and brothers waiting but God had given Him a commission to teach the disciples how to follow God and change other people’s lives. If they focused on earthly ways of doing that, they would be limited by earthly results; but by focusing on spiritual rewards and ways, the disciples would be able to do so much more. In effect the disciples were now the family Jesus had to work with, they were more than just neighbours.

God wants us to reach out to others in similar ways, not by limiting ourselves to earthly ways and rewards, but by opening ourselves to the spiritual ways the Holy Spirit can guide us through. By allowing more in (from God) we can give more out because of what God gives us. Some of our neighbours will be the new family we have to help us spread the Gospel through spiritual means...

Points to Ponder:
Who would you say are the closest people to you?

Who is closest spiritually speaking?