Gleanings – Lapping it Up
Matthew 21:23-32
“Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.”
The longer I live the more I believe hubris is our greatest challenge, a challenge for which I am chief among those not exempt. Few of us are humble. And wherever we are on the scale, pride eventually creeps in. We want to be at the top of our heap whatever that heap is. It is our heap after all. Pride creeps in and unfortunately pride goes before the fall.
The “chief priests and elders” were resting on laurels and tradition rather than on the mercy of God. Jesus himself calls us to repent and believe as does John the Baptist in preparing the way for him. Commoners, even the morally doubtful, repented and believed. The appeal fell on deaf ears for those who felt they had an in with God. The religious did not repent and believe. To the contrary they are now trying to trip Jesus up. They are in charge. They make the rules. There may be room for tax collectors and harlots but not ahead of them.
I sing the song often but it is worthy of yet another hearing. Our need of God is a great leveler. It makes level the playing field. It renders all hierarchy, other than God Creator vs. Man Created, pointless from an eternal perspective.
Pride resists this like the plague. Humility laps it up. It is annoying to the former and a sweet melody to the latter.
What kind of music are you hearing today?