Power washing – what does that have to do with anything? At Northminster we are having a workday on Saturday. We are picking up trash and we get to do some power washing! Nothing better than an opportunity to use some power tools! We want the church to look good for Palm Sunday and Easter, after all!

In my reading today I read Luke 11:37-44. This is about Jesus eating with a Pharisee and Jesus does not wash up before dinner. Now, my momma would not have been happy. We were to wash before every meal – after all, who knows what we had been handling.

But, this failure by Jesus was, I suspect, intentional. He had a point to make. He wanted it to be clear that the Pharisees had done a great job cleaning up the outside of things. But they had neglected that which was truly necessary – they had neglected justice and the love of God.

So, what truly matters? Is it more important to look good or toe BE good? It is more critical to appear righteous or to live with integrity? What does the Lord require of us? The answer of the prophet is – Do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with our Lord. It is good and fine to clean up the outside – but let us not neglect that which truly matters. May God give us hearts that long for Justice and hearts that reflect His love for us through Jesus our Lord!