Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. Matthew 23:23 (NLT)
Some New Testament religious leaders were careful to follow the laws of the time. They were busy keeping the letter of the law. They made sure to do everything just right. But they did not always pay attention to the intent of the law, such as mercy and faith.
The Bible lays out the way we should live. We can choose to follow the commandments, which we should, but we also need to pay attention to the intent behind them. God commands us to love God and love others. All the commandments support this commandment. When we learn to love God and love others, we are following the important aspects of the law.
Prayer:
God, thank you for giving us the law to show us how we should love you and love others. Thank you for sending Jesus as the fulfillment of the law. Help me to live a life after your heart and show it to others by the way I live. In Jesus’ name. Amen.