"You ignore the important aspects of the law, justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things."
Many church's carry on their traditions at the expense of the most important teachings of the Word! The Lord used tithing, in this truth for today, to illustrate how some focus on the minuscule aspects of the law at the expense of the more important things. Even if you tithe down to the last herb in your garden, you can not neglect the more important provisions of the law. Justice, mercy and faith are more important than legalistically tithing an herb. We must guard against being a hypocrite by keeping some traditions or laws at the expense of the whole law and its important parts. All of God's laws are admonitions and important and we can not choose just the ones we want to observe and obey!
It is important to know and then implement the weightier matters of God's Law. Without being merciful we can not obtain mercy. Without being faithful we can never achieve righteousness. Without being just to others we can not expect justice from the Lord. We must guard against keeping some laws that we emphasize at the expense of others. All aspects of the law are there to teach and protect us from harm and the more completely we respect and obey them all, the more favorable we will be seen in God's eyes. To be considered righteous we will have to learn all about JUSTICE, MERCY, FAITH!
How does this lesson apply to us today? Never stop doing the things that are right in God's sight and according to His Laws. Never neglect the more important provisions of the law in order to sustain some tradition of the church. In your treatment of others, you must have mercy toward them, if you expect mercy from God. You must be faithful to God and those in your life if you want to be counted righteous. You must act justly toward others if you desire justice from the Lord. Do not forsake the important aspects of God's law just to uphold a tradition or minuscule aspect of the law, such as tithing your herb garden. Keep the first things first and be just, and merciful and faithful in your worship of the Lord.
