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He Eats with Sinners

What was it that caused the religious readers to grumble and criticize about Jesus eating with sinners? Was it from pure motives and righteousness? Jesus makes it clear in numerous passages that they really didn’t have a heart for God, but they liked the attention and honor that was theirs through their religious duties. It would seem their grumbling and criticisms were more a matter of insecurity and jealousy than any sense of righteousness.

Our motives to bring glory and honor to God can easily be corrupted when our flesh starts to desire glory and honor for ourselves. And when this starts to happen, our purpose on the earth is muddied, those within God’s family are not properly cared for—and those outside of God’s family are ignored. The agenda of our hearts is the one thing we must continually keep watch over. Proverbs 4:23 says we must keep our hearts with all diligence, as from here spring the issues of life. Jesus came to seek and save the lost, but these pharisees and scribes had become hardhearted and prideful, and were content to let the destitute remain in their pain.

When searching our own hearts before God, we can ask ourselves two questions to help us know where we stand: Do our actions bring glory to God or are they to bring glory to us? Do we have a burning desire to see sinners come to know Jesus, or are we indifferent and even hostile toward those who have not yet met our Savior?

Father God, let all my words and deeds be expressed for your glory. May I have wisdom in regard to the state of my heart before you. And my prayer is that my life would never become familiar with the need around me. Amen.

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