Daily Devotional

May 1st, 2024
by Laurel Dhillon

Matthew 9:13 - “But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” (NKJV)

Matthew 12:7 - “But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless.” (NKJV)

Right before Matthew 9:13, Jesus had met Matthew the tax collector. He told him to “Follow Me” and Matthew did. Then Jesus went to his house and had a meal with him and many other tax collectors. When criticized for this Jesus pronounced these words. He didn’t judge them for their criticism but told them to go and learn what His words meant. He wanted them to learn it on their own.

Sandwiched in between the two verses above are a whole bunch of examples of Jesus revealing He was doing a new thing. Rather than focusing on rules and rituals, He wanted them to focus on the people themselves. Sometimes it seems like there is a fine line between upholding the truth of God’s Word and extending mercy. Paths of direct opposition to the teachings of scripture put us in positions of making the practicality of living out the words “love the sinner but hate the sin” hard to discern. So I tried to look at a common denominator in these examples. Each time, Jesus took His focus off the action of their sin and placed it on their need. He fed, healed, and cast out demons, not because of what they had done, but because of what they needed. “He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd” (Matthew 11:36). He knew this is what would draw them to repentance.

Lord Jesus, help me to see people the way you do. Move me with Your Spirit of compassion and open my eyes to their true need.

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New King James Version (NKJV)
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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