“Blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup, so that the outside also may be clean” Matthew 23:26.
side are you on, Jesus, or the Pharisees and Scribes, the hypocrites? For me, I am tempted to sit with Jesus and judge the hypocrites. Woe to me. How easy it is to become a Pharisee, a hypocrite. Jesus is talking to me in today’s reading. Jesus is telling me to focus on my own inner workings. The instruction is personal. Life is a game of mirrors and signals. The warnings, the advice, the judgments are for me, the person in the mirror.
Even as I am writing this reflection and thinking of examples to discuss, I keep thinking of how others have failed or misjudged or applied justice instead of love. I am using my own judgment to spot the flaws in others. Woe to me indeed.
I must remember to pray and look in the mirror. I love today’s Psalm 139, “… you know me, Lord.” Why lie to God while praying? Why not be honest? I lie to myself first. I rewrite my own history. I explain away my reasons. I lean on fictional intentions. It’s painful to be transparent. How much easier it is for me to walk away from shame, start new, somewhere else? I do not like being vulnerable, relying on the forgiveness of others. Maybe I should practice forgiving? Maybe I should recall the Bible is talking to me? Maybe I should be honest in my prayers and go to confession a little more often? Maybe I should use shame as a signal that it’s time to “clean the inside of the cup”?
Greg Dyche
As a professor at Creighton University’s Heider College of Business, I teach courses in Management Information Systems, Analytics, and Artificial Intelligence. With over 40 years of professional experience and a commitment to helping students discover “the possibilities of technology,” I bring both technical expertise and a heart for service to my work. I am grateful to participate in Creighton’s Online Ministry, sharing in the journey of faith through daily scripture reflections.
