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Luke 11:37-41
Jesus was invited to dinner with a Pharisee, and the Pharisee was in awe at the fact that Jesus did not wash before dinner (Luke 11:38). Jesus uses this as a teaching point for the Pharisees, who made a point to show their outer splendor and riches (Luke 11:39). Jesus teaches that these Pharisees may appear to be polished on their outer appearance but on their inside, in their hearts, are full of greed and wickedness (Luke 11:39). Jesus instructs this Pharisee that he should make practical application of giving to the poor which would show a caring for others that comes from within, from the heart. With this action of caring for others, the Pharisee would be clean on the inside as well as the outside.
This is an example of greed and wickedness being replaced with humility and caring for others.
This is an example of following the sinful nature being replaced with following the new life in Christ Jesus.
We all are born with this same attitude of the Pharisee as shown in this passage. We all want to be the best that we can, and we want everyone around us to see how good we are. Jesus teaches us that in being our best, we should be the least (Mark 9:35). In this is that we should humble ourselves to look after the needs of others. To care more for the well-being of those around us than we do for ourselves. This is self-sacrifice. This is loving others as Jesus loves us (John 13:34-35). To look our best in the eyes of God, we must put the needs of others before ourselves.
Dear Lord,
Please help us to see that by putting ourselves first we are putting ourselves in the life of the sinful nature as Lucifer (Satan) fell from heaven because he was making an attempt to put himself before You. Satan, now through the sinful nature that we are all born with, tries to make everyone fall by instilling within us this same attitude. Please help us to see that showing the love of Christ Jesus is submitting ourselves humbly to You in seeking Your will for our lives each day and putting the needs of others before ourselves. In Jesus name I pray, amen.