Divine Dining March 16, 2026 Devotional

LUKE 11:42 | ⁴² But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and herbs of all kinds and neglect justice and the love of God; it is these you ought to have practiced, without neglecting the others.

The second point of contention between Jesus and the Pharisees concerns positive versus negative forms of virtue. God wants His children to be doers of good not simply avoiders of wrong. The Pharisees emphasized avoiding wrong to an absurd degree.

For instance, in order to avoid breaking the law on tithing they extended it to ludicrous lengths. Originally agricultural, the Torah rules encouraged Israelites to set aside portions of their produce for God and for Temple work. The first fruits of wheat, barley, vines, figs, pomegranates, and honey were given to God and to this was added the Terumah to support the priests. Beyond first fruits was the tithe of all “that can be used as food,” given to the Levites. But fearful of breaking these rules, the Pharisees tithed everything, including the tiny herbs from their spice gardens. Obsessing about the unimportant, they forgot the major goals connected to character.

Do you spend more time avoiding wrong or doing good?

Gracious God,

May I pursue positive virtue, doing good rather than simply avoiding evil. I ask in the name of Jesus, whose life was full of blessings for others. Amen.