Care Less About What Others Think and More About What God Thinks: Wednesday of Advent 1, Year 2

Readings for the Day:

• Matthew 21:23-32

Sermon:

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Original Manuscript:

For some reason, we as humans can never seem to get past the notion of “what will people think?” This idea being whether we belong to the correct group or that if we just do that one thing or succeed in that one accomplishment, we will have made it and be proper people in this world.

The people who belonged to the correct group and did all the correct things would have, in Jesus’ day, been the chief priests and the elders. But Jesus doesn’t praise them. Instead he praises the tax collectors and prostitutes, that is those people that everyone would have looked down on.

The tax collectors and prostitutes were the ones that knew they were in need of help. They were the ones who knew they needed God, and so they were the ones who were open to listening to what God had to say to them.

We should care a little less about what other people think and a little more about what God thinks. We should not seek those things of this world, but instead embrace connection with the God who loves us in spite of all the things we have done. Our place in society ultimately will not matter, but our place with God is one that we truly need and will, in fact, last forever.