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March 13, 2025

 

This Week’s Theme Verse

Proverbs 3:5-6

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart 

and lean not on your own understanding; 

in all your ways submit to Him 

and He will make your paths straight.”

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Matthew 5:23-24

23 “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.

 

Have you ever had a disagreement that left you feeling angry or hurt? I suspect all of us have. Have you found that pride can keep you from admitting when we’re wrong or from seeking reconciliation in a relationship that has conflict? We have a hard teaching to reflect on today, in our reading we encounter Jesus teaching that healing a broken relationship is more important than who is right or who did what first. In fact Jesus says that healing in relationships is even more important than worship.

Look at our Matthew reading, there Jesus calls us to reconcile with others before offering our gifts to God. Here again in the gospel we are called to surrender and let go of something, this time pride. Jesus means that we need to prioritize relationships that need healing.  

Notice that Jesus reminds us that our inner thoughts and feelings need to be tended and healed. We cannot hold anger inside, allow it to occupy our thought life, and expect it to not impact our lives with God and other people. Jesus calls you and me toward a humility that extends reconciliation to others, no matter who did what to who, who is right, or who should make the first move. Humility in the Bible keeps us Jesus followers from walking our own path, from living life how we see fit instead of following God's purposes. Humility, as we see in God's word helps us ensure that we are prioritizing other people, not just ourselves. Forgiveness can be one of the greatest acts of humility that we take towards others and, the payoff is that this humble act can set us free in ways we may not even expect.

Consider today, where it is easiest for you to allow pride to control your actions.

Ask God for the gentle grace to see what you may need to surrender to God.