On the Road to Jerusalem: Neglect

“But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others."—Luke 11:42

The Pharisees cared so much about the minute details of the law, that they neglected the big things, such as justice and the love of God. Sometimes in life, we can become so concerned with being godly, maintaining quiet times, and doing what is right, that we forget the reason why we do it—because we love God. The law can be summed up in the greatest commandment: loving God with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength. And the second greatest commandment is like it, loving our neighbor as ourselves. Our love for God should overflow into concern for others, which is why Jesus mentioned justice. Most of the Pharisees lived their lives so as to get noticed by men and cared nothing for others. But God wants us to love Him and love others, going so far as to seek justice for those who are oppressed.

The Bible talks a great deal about seeking justice and acting justly. In fact, in the Old Testament, there were several commands and provisions built in for obtaining justice for the oppressed. Israel was to seek justice for the sojourner, fatherless, widow, and poor (Exodus 23:6; Deuteronomy 27:19). Bribery was illegal, and there was to be no partiality in court proceedings, despite one's social status (Exodus 23:2-6; Deuteronomy 16:19). The prophet Micah summarized God’s requirement for the nation,

“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”—Micah 6:8

Oswald Chambers wrote, “When someone thinks that to develop a holy life he must always be alone with God, he is no longer of any use to others. This is like putting himself on a pedestal and isolating himself from the rest of society.”—Oswald Chambers, “The Delight of Sacrifice,” February 24, My Utmost for His Highest.

As we continue our journey to Jerusalem, we must make sure that we are not neglecting others. Is there someone for whom we need to seek justice? Is there someone who needs our help? May God give us the courage to help those in need and not neglect them, for the honor of His great name. Amen.