1 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: 2 “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. 3 So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. 4 They tie up heavy loads and put them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.”
5 “Everything they do is done for men to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; 6 they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; 7 they love to be greeted in the marketplaces and to have men call them ‘Rabbi.’”
8 “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have only one Master and you are all brothers. 9 And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. 10 Nor are you to be called ‘teacher,’ for you have one Teacher, the Christ.”
Practice what you preach. Walk the talk. One demonstrates what they believe by how they behave. Words are cheap actions costly. Whatever your mantra of choice, Jesus sizzles these teachers of the law and the Pharisees for spouting Truth yet living anything but that. Their faith was all for show and nothing for substance. Indeed, their secret life was their true life. Their Delilah of pride sunk them like the Titanic. They zealously guarded their reputations - masking them behind their lofty words - but inside they remained hypocritical to the core. These feigned characters indulged their pride in the giving of the law to others yet leaned on ease when it came to their own practice of the same. Jesus here exposes their shenanigans. God is never fooled. Neither will He be mocked. Paul tells us in Galatians:
7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Gal 6:7-9 (NIV)
“Pride is utter poverty of soul disguised as riches.” John Climacus
God sees all – judging even the thoughts and attitudes of our hearts - it is who we are before Him that truly (and only) matters. If we could come to terms with that, our lives would be so much simpler – not to mention more peaceful and joyful. We are to live our lives for an audience of One. What difference does it make what flesh thinks anyway? I am reminded of the words in 2 Chronicles and Hebrews:
9 For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. 2 Chron 16:9 (NIV)
13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Heb 4:13 (NIV)
“All the commandments of God are commandments of love tending to our real good and great happiness; far from being grievous to those who have faith and love, the practice thereof is life and peace. The world may think it a grievous burden; but this is a great mistake indeed. Sin is grievous. In hatred, envy, anger, revenge, pride, there is nothing but torment and slavery; but in love there is a sweet rest and pleasure. Thus a sinner always punishes himself, and is robbed of great peace and blessing, by transgressing the commandments of God.” K. H. Von Bogatzky
Fallen flesh has a tendency to be more concerned with what man thinks than what God thinks. We hide our innermost thoughts and secrets before men yet seem to have no embarrassment about them before Almighty God Who cannot be fooled by our silliness. It is all too easy to fall into a prideful pattern – even among the religious as the Pharisees in our verses for today. Nothing is more repugnant to God than to see His people puffed up and looking down on others. The insidious nature of this deadly disease of pride will get us into a strong choking neck hold before we even realize it taking us down fast. This is particularly true if we continually shut our eyes to its ways and choose not to keep our lives in check – refusing accountability.
"We make our choices and then our choices make us. Our everyday choices reveal what we really desire. The essence of sin is pride. The heart of sin is independence and the core of sin is demanding my own way instead of God's." Pat Singleterry
“Pride is an insidious disease of the soul because it can turn even justice and kindness into self-righteous deeds.” Chuck Swindoll