Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell as you are.

Imagine with me the pomp and circumstance of these Pharisees taking donations for these long voyages to foreign lands. They would set out to much fanfare and expect to be treated as royalty on all of their stops. And they would bring the convert to Judaism back to their country (from likely a poor country), and they would have them do all of their dirty work.

This is akin to a scenario of a church today sending out missionaries to get people to say a sinners prayer, then bringing back the foreigners to showcase to the congregation and teaching them to play back-channel political games in the church.

When the heart is corrupted, the mind devises all kinds of evil strategies to inflate one’s ego and get one’s selfish desires satisfied. This is what the Pharisees as a group were about.

How do I keep my heart pure from these worldly temptations?

“How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Praise be to you, Lord; teach me your decrees. With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth. I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.” (‭‭Psalms‬ ‭119‬:‭9‬-‭16‬)

The answer is so simple but requires diligence and discipline. Few will dedicate themselves to it. I speak to so many who claim to follow Jesus, and so few of these make knowing him and the study of God’s Word a priority.

Lord, instead of fancy missions trips for poor causes and keeping score of converts, help me to simply take joy in knowing your word and following your ways. You get all of the credit, and you allow me to join you in your amazing, life-changing work. Praise you Lord!