June 1999 Issue

Growth...

Attention to Detail

by Mark J. Ward

Have you ever known of a person who gave great attention to details? I'm sure that we all have probably encountered a person of this nature more than once in our lives. The Pharisees living during the time that Jesus lived on the earth were very much of this sort. There are many things which the Phaarisees were rebuked for strongly (and rightly so), but they were NOT rebuked for giving attention to detail per se. Let us learn a good lesson from the Pharisees!

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone" (Matthew 23:23).

Mint, anise and cummin were very small plants. The Pharisees were carefully observing the law of the tithe...right down to paying tithe of the smallest of their herbs! In proper perspective, this would be commendable and acceptable for the passage teaches "these ought ye to have done and not to leave the other undone". Herein is a valuable lesson for us as growing Christians. Proper growth requires the proper diet, exercise, and priorities. Spiritually, we must feed on the milk and meat of God's Word. We must givel diligence to rightly divide God's Word. We must keep a proper perspective on our spirituality. Some people are all milk, others are all meat. Some people are all negative, others are all positive. Some people are all social programs, others are too restrictive. Some people are scripturally balanced...this is our goal!

Many times we see Jesus Christ involved in some of the most pointed, corrective preaching of His ministry with the Pharisees as His audience. In the passage cited above, the Pharisees were wrong in omitting the weightier matters of the law (judgment, faith and mercy). But, they were not wrong in paying tithe of mint, anise and cummin! Are we ever "guilty" of paying tithe of mint, anise and cummin, or is our spirituality so shallow that we are not even close? Let us grow and give proper attention to detail and NEVER omit the weightier matters of God's law (applicable to us in this dispensation)! Thanks for reading. mjw

Email the Editor at markjward@yahoo.com