Matthew 23:23-24 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithes of mint and dill and cummin, and you have left aside the weightier matters of the Law: judgment, and mercy, and faith. It was right to do these, and not to have left those aside. Blind guides, straining out the gnat, but swallowing the camel!”

The Pharisees were very careful to pay attention to the minor details of the law, but would overlook the important things. They would pay tithes on the littlest items, and rigidly follow the laws but they lacked faith and showed no mercy, or the love of God towards others. They had Jesus right there with them and refused to accept Him and believe in Him. It is good and right to pay tithes, but along with paying tithes and following God's commandments, we should also pour our energies into loving each other, and sharing our faith in Jesus. What good is there in paying tithes, or following God's law, if there is no love of God behind those actions? There are a lot of people in churches who pay money and do all the right things so they look good, but in the privacy of their hearts and minds is where the real person is. They may be a person full of anger, harsh judgments, prejudices, and selfishness. When there is no relationship with Jesus those outward actions have no meaning.

It's so easy to look at the Pharisees and condemn them for not accepting Jesus. However, a large number of people sitting in churches are doing the same thing. They may know about Jesus. They listen to the pastor speak about Jesus. But they don't spend the time needed to have a strong relationship with Jesus. They don't completely give all their desires, hopes, body, and soul, to Jesus. They're just going through the motions. That daily rejection is so painful to our Lord.

Just to get an idea of what it must be like for Jesus, think about this. Have you ever spent lot of your time and energy, to help others? Do you have an expertise in an area, or a special gift, which would be of benefit to others, but those closest to you reject it? Or maybe they just scorn your work, talents, or expertise because they have formed an inaccurate or unkind opinion of you? When this happens it causes a person to hurt and become frustrated because they have so much to offer, yet it is rejected. It's not because there is anything terribly wrong with the person, it just because no one appreciates what they have around them. The grass is always greener somewhere else. If you have ever gone through this kind of rejection, then you have had a small sampling of what our Lord must feel.

Jesus offers us life. He offers us a fulfilling life on this earth, and an eternal life on the new earth. He gave His own life. He suffered pain, humiliation, and death, just so we can live! His gift is there every day for us. We just have to accept it and allow Jesus to be involved in our life every minute of every day. Yet so many people won't give up their cherished ways of living, their dreams, or hopes. They won't give up things that are so much lower that what Jesus has to offer. Their dreams, hopes, or lifestyle are nothing compared to the rich, fulfilling life just waiting for them if they would just accept it. Just like the Pharisees, people professing to be Christians are refusing to let Jesus be the Ruler of their lives. And just like the Pharisees, we tend to focus on the little things and ignore the really important things. Loving God and loving each other. Those are the weightier matters.

Matthew 22:37 -40 Jesus answered him, "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the greatest and most important commandment. The second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as you love yourself.' All of Moses' Teachings and the Prophets depend on these two commandments."