Learning While Rejecting the Teacher

Scripture: If I testify about Myself, My testimony is not valid. There is Another who testifies about Me, and I know that the testimony He gives about Me is valid. John 5:31-32

Observation: Jesus says there is another who testifies about him, and then lists at least four:

-- John the Baptist, through his word
-- Jesus' works, through their power
-- God, through the prophets
-- Moses, through the scriptures

It is through Moses that Jesus says the doubters will be accused in the end, for they read and learn the law, and yet cannot understand it in the context of the Messiah. They study all the rules, and then pursue compliance without a heart of love, compassion, and understanding. This is what was always meant by the law being a blessing and a curse ... it represents a way to be close to God and understand his will, but it also can be a stumbling stone when either compliance fails, or when 'belief' becomes just a compliance effort.

The law presented the hope, function, and purpose of the future Messiah. The prophets presented how to recognize the Messiah. John prepared the way and announced the coming of the Messiah. Jesus fulfilled the signs to show he was the Messiah. The Jews "knew" all of this ... and rejected Jesus.

Application: Is there anything I know about God, Jesus, salvation, faith ... and the ignore it when it's right in front of my face? Are there things I have learned and thus focus on the learning and not the lesson? The answer is 'yes', and it is summarized in one word. Love.

I fail to love others. I pray to follow Jesus' instructions, then ignore the one thing he would set as primary among those instructions. I often view others as the problems I have every day, and seek guidance about how to overcome those problems, instead of seeing that these people are beloved souls in need of hope, set before me so that I may in fact do God's will in their lives.

I am a Pharisee. I know the teaching, and pursue it to the point that I actively ignore and even reject that very teaching in the name of the teacher. This is the path I fail to walk daily with my Lord.

Prayer: Lord, help me to correct my heart and receive a new heart toward others. Yes, I seek your will, but you have shown it to me and I still wander in brambles and ditches instead of simply walking your path. May I have new eyes this day and every day, and observe your teaching. Amen.