Day 12

Genesis 26:17–27:46; Matthew 9:1-17; Psalm 10:16-18; Proverbs 3:9-10

ISAAC WAS AGING and losing his eyesight. The first generation after Abraham was rapidly moving toward the grandchildren’s generation, and the tension foretold by God between Jacob and Esau was on full display. In today’s Old Testament reading, we saw a generous amount of trickery between the brothers. Esau had previously sold Jacob his birthright for a bowl of stew, but in today’s reading, Rebekah and Jacob conspired to get Isaac’s final blessing before his death —and they succeeded.

But all was not well and good for Jacob after this. He had to go on the run from Esau’s rage, fleeing back toward his ancestral homeland. In the process, he missed the later years of his father’s life, the love of his mother, and the comfort of his home.

Meanwhile, in Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus had confrontations of His own to deal with. “Be encouraged, my child! Your sins are forgiven,” Jesus told a paralyzed man who had been brought before Him in hopes of healing (Matthew 9:2). This proclamation of forgiveness set off the teachers of religious law. They accused Jesus of one of the most grievous offenses possible: blasphemy. Despite this, He healed the man right in front of them, saying, “Is it easier to say ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up and walk’?” (Matthew 9:5). This kind of behavior would eventually turn the religious establishment against Jesus and would become the grounds for sentencing Him to death. But Jesus didn’t have a lot of tolerance for hypocrisy, as we see in the many confrontations He had of this nature.

Jesus always entered a person’s story. He was more than willing to buck the system to get to a person’s heart. After the healing of the paralyzed man, He met a man named Matthew (whose Gospel we are currently reading). The people of Israel detested Matthew because he was a tax collector, and yet Jesus ended up at his house, along with other tax collectors and sinners.

“Why does your teacher eat with such scum?” the Pharisees asked Jesus’ disciples (Matthew 9:11).

If we’re honest, we find that we’ve held similar attitudes. The Pharisees prided themselves on avoiding interactions with sinners and people of ill repute —and sometimes, so do we. But Jesus never did. He always found the plot behind the story in a person’s life. Jesus said:

“Healthy people don’t need a doctor —sick people do.” Then he added, “Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’ For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”

Had the Pharisees paid attention to Jesus’ words, they would have discovered that they weren’t as healthy as their outward appearance indicated. But before we judge them, we must first examine our own lives —because we may be no better off. Too often, we, too, present a false image. Let’s consider the ways in which we are the Pharisees in this story. Considering ourselves rightly will lead us toward fundamental and necessary changes. After all, our pursuit is to be like Jesus, and we will never grow in that direction if we spend our energy judging others and pretending to be something we’re not.

MEDITATION:

Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce. Then he will fill your barns with grain, and your vats will overflow with good wine.