Matthew 23:1-12

Matthew 23:1-12

Now Jesus turned to address his disciples, along with the crowd that had gathered with them. "The religion scholars and Pharisees are competent teachers in God's Law. You won't go wrong in following their teachings on Moses. But be careful about following them. They talk a good line, but they don't live it. They don't take it into their hearts and live it out in their behavior. It's all spit-and-polish veneer. 
“Instead of giving you God's Law as food and drink by which you can banquet on God, they package it in bundles of rules, loading you down like pack animals. They seem to take pleasure in watching you stagger under these loads, and wouldn't think of lifting a finger to help. Their lives are perpetual fashion shows, embroidered prayer shawls one day and flowery prayers the next. They love to sit at the head table at church dinners, basking in the most prominent positions, preening in the radiance of public flattery, receiving honorary degrees, and getting called 'Doctor' and 'Reverend.' 
“Don't let people do that to you, put you on a pedestal like that. You all have a single Teacher, and you are all classmates. Don't set people up as experts over your life, letting them tell you what to do. Save that authority for God; let him tell you what to do. No one else should carry the title of 'Father'; you have only one Father, and he's in heaven. And don't let people maneuver you into taking charge of them. There is only one Life-Leader for you and them—Christ. 
"Do you want to stand out? Then step down. Be a servant. If you puff yourself up, you'll get the wind knocked out of you. But if you're content to simply be yourself, your life will count for plenty.” 

Devotional (by Emily Gray)

Importance.  Significance.  We all want it in some form or other.  We want people to take notice of us.  We all like a little praise, accolades, and compliments, especially when we’ve worked extra hard.  But in this passage, we see Jesus telling us its not about image or praise.  The religious people and Pharisees (experts of the Biblical Law) of Jesus’ day had the image and the praise.  They were quick to receive praise and do what they could to earn it.  But Jesus said they didn’t live by their own teachings, they didn’t have the right motives: “They talk a good line, but they don’t live it.”  
There’s nothing wrong with working hard or receiving a compliment.  But Jesus says we’re to focus on one thing and one thing only: Him.  Don’t let other people’s opinions have priority over God’s.  Jesus said, “Don’t set people up as experts over your life, letting them tell you what to do.”  I don’t know about you, but when I have a problem or a worry in life, I go to several people, surveying their opinion on the solution to the situation.  I do it all the time.  And while it’s great to ask wise people for their advice, I find myself thinking of God as a last resort.  “Well God, he said this, and she said that.  What do You think?”  But I have it in reverse.  I’m learning that I need to go to God first in prayer and reading the Bible, to get His opinion of my life.  Its easy to forget that He knows all about us, because He created us.  Plus He wants what’s best for all of us, so we can trust His advice.  It can be challenging to remember that we have one Authority.  But I hope, like me, we can learn that going to Him first and valuing His opinion above all else is the best way to go.    
So instead of working hard to get other people to notice the image you’re trying to create, do as Jesus said, “Simply be yourself” as you focus on Him.  And the promise He gives is what everyone desires deep down, that “your life will count for plenty.”   

Prayer:  Jesus, help me to focus on you, and not put myself or anyone else on a pedestal.  I want to come to you first, not as a last resort.  Help me to simply be myself and trust You in all situations, so that my life will count for plenty.  Thank You that You are always here for me when I come to You.  Amen.