Sunday, January 13, 2013

When Being Right is Very Wrong

By Hazel Holland


What is a major obstacle that prevents Christians from being authentic?  It's when being right is very wrong.

It's when we speak the right words, but have the wrong attitudes.  It's when our words may sound wonderful, but they are hollow because we don't really mean them.  It's when we talk about love, but we don't love.  It's when we talk about forgiveness, but we don't forgive.  It's when we talk about acceptance, but we don't accept...

When our profession of faith is nothing more than outward show, it becomes nothing more than a clanging symbol to the world around us.  When we do the right outward things, but have no love in our hearts, we are showing the world that being right is very wrong (Mark 7:6-7).  And they are right!


Saturday, January 5, 2013

Jesus Challenges Tradition

By Hazel Holland

When Jesus said, "I didn't come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance" (Mark 2:17), wasn't He challenging the traditions of the elders of His day? 

In other words, wasn't He saying, "To those who think you are righteous, but behave like self-righteous Pharisees, I have nothing to say.  Since you have shut the door of your heart to mercy, you cannot receive My grace... not until you realize that you are more needy than those you love to regard as social outcasts and the misfits in society." 

"But to those who know you are sinners and behave like sinners, I have something to say.  If you have not shut the door of your heart to mercy, and are open for My help, I am fully available to minister My healing grace to your souls."

So here's the big question.  Doesn't Jesus continue to challenge the traditions of the elders of our day, too?  What will be our response to Him?