Mercy Over Religion
Key Passage: Matthew 12:1-14
"And if you had known what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath." (Matthew 12:7-8, ESV)
Religion can be an ugly thing. In fact, being religious can make us ugly people. And being religious can often lead us away from God rather than to Him.
This is exactly what Jesus encountered with the religious leaders of His day. They were a group who didn't like the way Jesus did things because He didn't follow their religious customs. These religious leaders were arrogant, selfish and insensitive to the needs of others.
In one particular incident where Jesus and His disciples had a run-in with them, the religious leaders accused the disciples of breaking the law and condemned them. Jesus responded by quoting a verse from the Old Testament, "I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices." Jesus reminded them that mercy is more important than religion.
In other words, how you treat people is of greater concern than religious duties. You see, the religious leaders had a heart problem. They were quick to judge and condemn people and failed to show mercy, love and forgiveness. They placed a higher importance on following religious traditions than on being compassionate.
So how about you? Where's your heart? Are you more concerned about showing mercy or following the rules? Do you care about a person or just about their outward actions?
