Religious Fervour

He also said in His teaching, " Beware of the scribes, who want to go around in long robes, and who want greetings in the marketplaces, and the front seats in the synagogues, and the places of honour at banquets. They devour widows houses and say long prayers just for show. These will receive harsher punishment. Mark 12:38-40

We have religions today when men go aroun in long robes and are given honour as above. It is not the wearing of long robes or the receiving of honour that Jesus was talking about but rather the heart attitude and lack of knowledge of truth.

Every year churches have fund raisers and recently  I heard a testimony of a young man who thought it was godly to take money from his mortgage to give. The fact that he was cheered shows me that others agreed. 

If I use debt to give then there is a problem. Why not give the small amount I do have? Why cause financial stress in the effort to appear godly? It is good to want to give but it is wise to seek God for how and what to give.

We can get caught up in imaginings as to what is right, especially in religious fervor. Our God is a God of freedom and He is not needing us to appear anything, just to love Him and obey. It is our own  nature that creates ideas on what a godly giver looks like and here is a trap. If my imagination is compelling me then I am wrong. Paul taught to give, not under compulsion, but freely. Faith is free not guilt driven. Amen! 

It is when I am insecure and not whole that I fall foul to weird ideas about how to give. I have to resist the compulsion of ego or insecurity and walk in freedom in giving. Amen!


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