When John the Baptist was preaching repentance different people came to ask him what that really meant. They were used to being told what to do by their priests, so they asked John.
The crowds asked him, "What then shall we do?"
John answered, "Whoever has two coats is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise."
Tax Collectors came to be baptized and asked, "Teacher, what shall we do?"
John said, "Collect no more than you are authorized to do."
Soldiers also asked him, "And we, what shall we do?"
John said, "Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages."
Luke 3:10-14
I found it interesting that John focused on greed and nothing else: share your clothes and food, don't steal from people, be happy with the money you have.
The priests at that time were concerned about keeping the Sabbath and obeying the laws of Moses and traditions. John went to the heart of what is most important to God; helping others and being content with what we have.
Later, when asked what was the greatest commandment, Jesus taught the same thing in saying, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is like it. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these."
2 comments:
I always say Jesus made it so simple and we complicated it so much. He said love God and love your neighbor as yourself. We set up rules and regulations, etc. If we just listened to him and LOVED! What a difference this world would be!
betty
I so agree with you. This is why I no longer attend church. They just can't seem to accept people who are different than themselves. It is their way or the highway.
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