Today’s Devotion
Topic: They Will Be Punished?
Text: Mark 12: 38- 40
38 As He taught, Jesus said, “Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, 39 and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. 40 They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.” Amen
Most believers have been very concerned about the flamboyant and extravagant nature of most of the Ministers of the gospel. Especially the inconsiderate approach with which they “commercialise” Jesus and exploit the needy and vulnerable.
Maybe this is not very different from what was the case in Jesus’ time afterall. In the passage above, we see our Master Jesus condemn the lifestyle of the teachers of the law. It was unacceptable to Him how they walked around in flowing robes and wanted to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces. They also loved no where else than to have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows’ houses and made a show off with lengthy prayers.
When the Master would use the word ‘devour’ to explain what they did, it means they really utterly exploited even the poorest widow to the latter. Now that is very sad, but common even in our day.
Lately you must have a fortune before you can see some ‘men of God’ for spiritual assistance. The consultation fees and different oils, creams and perfumes for sale would empty the pockets of even those who came prepared to pay. Let alone, the poor widow. This leaves the unemployed, vulnerable, widowed and needy no choice than to borrow money to compound their already indebtedness, just to seek the counsel of such fully ‘advertised man of God’.
Meanwhile, according to James 1: 27, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” To this scripture, most of our Churches and Pastors are failing miserably.
But don’t worry so much about this anymore. When the Master drew our attention to these kinds of Ministers, He only said we should “watch out for them”. This means that:
i. They are bound to come
ii. We should watch out for their fruits to differentiate them from the genuine ones.
iii. We should watch ourselves so we are not deceived.
iv. We should watch for others so that they are not deceived as well.
What the Lord didn’t say, was that we become judgemental and negatively condemn them to hell. Why? Because it is not in our place to do so. What they do is directly against God not us, and He has already pronounced the verdict concerning them. He says: “THESE MEN WILL BE PUNISHED MOST SEVERELY!” That’s all.
So as you enter the prayer room this morning, pray all men of God and people who follow after them to become such too. Ask the Holy Spirit to remind that they are to be shepherds and not wolves over HIS FLOCK. He should also remind them that there is severe punishment for those who remain flamboyant and exploitive. Though their extravagant lifestyle earns the status and class among men, real punishment awaits them; and it will be MOST SEVERE.
Finally pray that all believers will seek the Lord in His word so that they may discern to know what is of Him and that which isn’t. For “This world and it’s pleasures passes away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever” (1 John 2: 17). “Let he who has ears, hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (Rev 2: 7).
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