The Weightier Matters

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. Matthew 23:23

This is what I know for sure:

1. I am not a teacher.

2. I am not a speaker.

3. I am a believer growing in the Word in this state of diaspora…and read my Bible daily with urgency as if it is the truest survival guide.

In truth, I have always been somewhat introverted, but more so now than I have ever been. Why? I feel like I am under constant surveillance by my family and friends since having shared the knowledge I have found from reading the Bible in it’s entirety, knowledge about biblical facts that challenge the basis of other’s faith.

Those who have felt challenged have slandered my name, destroyed my personal property, and excluded me from “get togethers”.

Bible Study groups in churches I have attended nonchalantly made me feel unwelcome so that I wouldn’t return, cutting me off when I attempted to participate in the group discussion.

This walk can be lonely and definitely has been for me. Why am I telling you this? Because I know of the struggle others are having in this same walk, and I want to encourage you to continue the walk in the best that you can with what you have learned so far.

Here’s how I have handled my own struggles. Shortly after I found out about the slander, exclusion, and destruction of my personal property,

1. I prayed for help in handling the situation

2. I questioned the person about the act

3. I did not discuss it further with anyone

4. I found a way to serve the person lovingly.

Later when I could get hold of my emotions, I wrote a personal letter and delivered it to the person, being careful to point out the unfruitful actions, explaining my biblically moral obligation to the relationship that I am determined to uphold. Then, informed the person that the contents of the letter are confidential and will not be spoken of with anyone else. If I am later confronted by the person about the letter, I have a face to face conversation privately to find out if he/she wants to maintain the relationship. This proved to be effective for my situations. I have found this approach to be a fruitful one. Unfortunately, I haven’t always used this approach. Everything in my human nature wants to resort to unfruitful actions, sending passive aggressive messages, and alienating myself from the person. This always ended with a feeling of being at war with everyone around me.

I found that if I focus on loving and serving others, use discernment when sharing my faith, keep quiet otherwise, work hard and productively…the relationship improves and I am able to walk out obedience to God more openly without argument from others. Micah 6:8 “Human being, you have already been told what is good, what ADONAI demands of you–no more than to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with you God.”

Ora Leola McCullough, Guest Author