Faithless

^{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 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. Such men will be punished most severely.”

Have you ever found yourself doing something just to do it?  You don't even remember why you're doing it, you just figure you should?  There is a great story that illustrates this:

A young woman was preparing a ham dinner. After she cut off the end of the ham, she placed it in a pan for baking. Her friend asked her,"Why did you cut off the end of the ham"? And she replied ,"I really don't know but my mother always did, so I thought you were supposed to." Later when talking to her mother she asked her why she cut off the end of the ham before baking it, and her mother replied, "I really don't know, but that's the way my mom always did it." A few weeks later while visiting her grandmother, the young woman asked, "Grandma, why is it that you cut off the end of a ham before you bake it?" Her grandmother replied, "I don't know why you do it, but my pan was too small!"

You see, sometimes we allow ourselves to hold onto rituals just for the sake of doing them.  They have lost their meaning.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not down on rituals, I just struggle with doing something simply for the sake of doing it.  Often times, we cling desperately to things we think are God pleasing, and we get mad at or look down at those who don't do it the way we do.  As a result, we come across just like the scribes and Pharisees Jesus is talking about in this passage.  Jesus didn't tell us that they will know we are His followers by our holy rituals.  Rather, in John 13: 35 we read By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”  

May God continue to use us to share His love with others.  During this Lenten season, may we draw close to Him, recognizing that it is through Him we gain salvation, not through holy acts and works.