August 8
Principle power
Jesus went up to Jerusalem.And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the moneychangers doing business. John 2:13-14 (NKJV)
Jesus was a principled man. There were certain beliefs and convictions that He stood on and stood up for. For example, He believed the Temple was a place that should be set aside for people to draw close to God, not a place where someone’s sincere desire to worship should be exploited for profit.
Yet that’s exactly what was happening at the Temple in Jesus’ day. The religious rulers and priests knew people were going to the Temple to offer a sacrifice to God. They also knew they had the power to tell people whether or not the animal they brought with them to sacrifice was “acceptable” or not.
All they had to do was declare someone’s offering as unfit for God, and the person would be forced to buy another animal that was worthy. So the religious rulers did just that. They charged a ridiculous amount of money because they knew they could get rich—and get away with it. But then Jesus showed up. Watch how He reacts to all this:
When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables.And He said to those who sold doves, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!” John 2:15-16 (NKJV)
Jesus could have gone along with the program, but He didn’t because He was a man of principle. This was wrong, and He was willing to do what needed to be done to confront it.
Are you a person of principle? What convictions are you willing to stand on and stand up for? A life without principle isn’t going to stand the test of time, nor will it stand out when it should. Don’t blend in like that. Have purpose, have passion, and have principles.
Think About It…
What does this passage reveal to me about God?
What does this passage reveal to me about myself?
Based on this, what changes do I need to make?
What is my prayer for today?
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