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Now when the chief priests and Pharisees heard His parables, they perceived that He was speaking of them. But when they sought to lay hands on Him, they feared the multitudes, because they took Him for a prophet. Matthew 21:45-46 NKJV
Matthew 21 is an exceptional example of what it looks like to refuse to take heart. The chief priests and Pharisees could have taken heart and learned from Jesus, but they chose hard-line unbelief. They could have been humble but chose to be proud. They could have asked questions but chose to accuse.
Defensive posturing will always make it difficult to take heart. When you make the choice to stand on a hill and defend personal opinion, you make it very difficult to be moved by God’s truth. This isn’t courage, and it sure isn’t bravery. It bears the stench of decay and death. It’s a wheezing and gasping for fresh air. It holds up the feeble sign “I know it all.” And very few will believe it. You can make a better, bolder, clearer-thinking choice.
Prayer: When it comes to You, Father, I want to be all in. I want my choices to be bold enough to look like choices You would make. I want others to believe You, so let them see me believe You too.
Matthew 21 is an exceptional example of what it looks like to refuse to take heart. The chief priests and Pharisees could have taken heart and learned from Jesus, but they chose hard-line unbelief. They could have been humble but chose to be proud. They could have asked questions but chose to accuse.
Defensive posturing will always make it difficult to take heart. When you make the choice to stand on a hill and defend personal opinion, you make it very difficult to be moved by God’s truth. This isn’t courage, and it sure isn’t bravery. It bears the stench of decay and death. It’s a wheezing and gasping for fresh air. It holds up the feeble sign “I know it all.” And very few will believe it. You can make a better, bolder, clearer-thinking choice.
Prayer: When it comes to You, Father, I want to be all in. I want my choices to be bold enough to look like choices You would make. I want others to believe You, so let them see me believe You too.
