So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. – Matthew 23:3

Today's Scripture Reading (February 1, 2024): Matthew 23

In this blog, I mentioned that one of my favorite Christian bands when I was younger was Petra. So, as I read our passage for today, maybe it is not surprising that my mind kept returning to a song that Petra released in 1990. The song was called "Seen and not Heard." Founding band member Bob Hartman wrote it, and the song features these lyrics;

Too many black sheep in the family,
Too many stones from a house of glass
They've heard the stories.
They've heard the lines.
But talk is too cheap to change their minds.
They want to see some vital signs.

Convictions, in the way we live
Convictions, not a narrative
Actions speak a little louder than words.

Seen and not heard
Seen and not heard
Sometimes, God's children
Should be seen and not heard
There's too much talk

And not enough walk.
Sometimes, God's children
Should be seen and not heard.

One day, I was giving a ride to some younger cousins and listening to a Petra CD when this song came on the vehicle's sound systems. My cousins were not impressed. But it wasn't the music that offended them. It was the message of the words. As far as they were concerned, everybody had the right to speak. Regardless of how hard I tried to explain the message to them, they couldn't understand the essential meaning of the song.

The song highlights a problem within the Christian Church. As Christians, too often we say one thing but do something else. We talk about love while justifying our intense dislike of certain people. We speak about unconditional acceptance in the church while standing at the back of our sanctuaries and declaring that some people don't belong. We say this is a place of healing and then make it a place of pain for some.

And in each of these situations, we need to learn to walk the talk. Sometimes, God's children need to be seen and not heard.

So, Jesus tells his followers, "The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach" (Matthew 23:2-3). Jesus referred to a chair in a synagogue reserved for the authoritative teacher of the day. The chair was called "Moses's Seat," and only the most learned in the community were asked to occupy Moses's Seat, and from there, they taught the community.

Jesus is telling his followers that they must listen to religious leaders sitting in Moses's seat. What these leaders are saying is not wrong. But they were refusing to walk the talk. The problem with the religious elite is not what they teach; it is the way that they live their lives. So, don't be like them. Understand that what you do is much more powerful than your words. It is that way in every relationship. Your kids hear what you say but also see what you do. Which do you think they will follow? 

Saint Francis of Assisi is often credited with saying, "Preach the Gospel at all times. If necessary, use words." I am not convinced that Saint Francis actually spoke the words, but the saying's uncertain origin doesn't take away from the power of the words. The world doesn't need us to talk about love; they need us to love. The world doesn't need to hear us describe our churches as safe spaces; they need them to be safe. I have always dreamed that the church could be a safe place for everyone, regardless of people's beliefs. Nothing could be more powerful than having people want to hang out with us because they know we love them.

We are not there yet. But I believe we can get there if we are willing to let our actions do the talking. 

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Matthew 24