Daily Devotional

Very often, we are just like Herod; we gather around ourselves a bunch of sycophants and praise singers. Anyone who tells us the truth, challenges us, or criticises us is considered our enemy. Instead of accepting our faults, we find a way to eliminate such a person. Be humble enough to take criticism. You are not always as perfect as your ego makes you believe. Consider those who criticise you to be your real friends, helping you to grow.

David observed that all the problems he faced during his reign as king resulted from ignoring God’s commandments. Having painfully learnt his lessons, David concluded: “Keep God’s commandments, and everything will go well for you.” One mistake we often make is thinking we can disobey God without suffering the consequences of our misdeeds. The truth is that God’s commandments are a covenant. If we want God to do his part, we, too, must do our part.

Jesus regards us as a family; He wants us to be familiar with Him and to see Him as a friend rather than a police officer. Familiarity draws us to God. However, it can also lead to contempt. The problem with the Nazarenes was not familiarity but contempt; they were angry with Jesus. They expressed this anger by claiming to know the so-called brothers and sisters of Jesus.