You've probably heard about the tombstone that reads, "I told you I was sick". It's one thing for other people not to take our illnesses seriously; it's an entirely different matter when we don't. Shortness of breath and pain in our chest are symptoms we ignore to our own peril. But even more perilous is the danger of ignoring symptoms of spiritual illness.
Jesus was often confronted by the religious leaders for hanging with the wrong crowd. The Great Physician was criticized for spending time with the spiritually ill. Sadly, the true reality was that these so-called spiritual leaders were at least as spiritually sick as those who were obviously so. And for that reason Jesus said, "It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick. But go and learn what this means : 'I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT SACRIFICE,' for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners." (Matthew 9:12-13)
The saying, "there are none so blind as those who will not see", fits well here. These arrogant and smug religious leaders were spiritually bankrupt and a serious stumbling block to sincere seekers. They did not know how great the spiritual needs of others were and even worse, they did not even know of their own desperate spiritual condition. Compassion, as Jesus pointed out, is a characteristic of the spiritually healthy. Later in this chapter it is exemplified in the life of Jesus Himself:
"Jesus was going through all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness. Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd." (Matthew 9:35-36)
Spiritually healthy people are those who declare the true gospel, the message about the kingdom of God, and validate that message through compassionate deeds. And these must go hand in hand. As they saying goes, "people will never care how much you know until they know how much you care". Jesus' compassion was the "magnet" that drew people to His message. The same will be true for us.
A spiritual check-up is always appropriate for the people of God and the truest indicator of spiritual health will be in answer to these questions: (1) what am I doing with the message of the kingdom of God?, and; (2) how am I compassionately serving others with that message?
May the Great Physician be manifested through a great host of compassionate messengers today.
Steve
Jesus was often confronted by the religious leaders for hanging with the wrong crowd. The Great Physician was criticized for spending time with the spiritually ill. Sadly, the true reality was that these so-called spiritual leaders were at least as spiritually sick as those who were obviously so. And for that reason Jesus said, "It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick. But go and learn what this means : 'I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT SACRIFICE,' for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners." (Matthew 9:12-13)
The saying, "there are none so blind as those who will not see", fits well here. These arrogant and smug religious leaders were spiritually bankrupt and a serious stumbling block to sincere seekers. They did not know how great the spiritual needs of others were and even worse, they did not even know of their own desperate spiritual condition. Compassion, as Jesus pointed out, is a characteristic of the spiritually healthy. Later in this chapter it is exemplified in the life of Jesus Himself:
"Jesus was going through all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness. Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd." (Matthew 9:35-36)
Spiritually healthy people are those who declare the true gospel, the message about the kingdom of God, and validate that message through compassionate deeds. And these must go hand in hand. As they saying goes, "people will never care how much you know until they know how much you care". Jesus' compassion was the "magnet" that drew people to His message. The same will be true for us.
A spiritual check-up is always appropriate for the people of God and the truest indicator of spiritual health will be in answer to these questions: (1) what am I doing with the message of the kingdom of God?, and; (2) how am I compassionately serving others with that message?
May the Great Physician be manifested through a great host of compassionate messengers today.
Steve
posted by steve @ 7:29 AM
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