Do you define yourself by what you don’t do?

In his Bible study program, The Great Adventure Bible Timeline, Jeff Cavins talks about how the Pharisees were set apart from the rest of the Jewish community. The Lord required this because these leaders had a history of being lured into worshipping false gods by foreign wives and the people they conquered or were conquered by. He set them apart because He knew they weren’t strong enough to withstand the temptation.

Over time, being set apart became a point of pride for the Pharisees and they started to define themselves by what they didn’t do. (i.e. We’re special, so we can’t do X, Y, and Z.)

Cavins goes on to share how this was a major downfall of the Pharisees and that the commandments Jesus cited as the most important are things that we should do rather than things to avoid.

36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the great and [a]foremost commandment. 39 The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”

Matthew 22:36-40

This part of the lesson reminded me of the reality television shows about fundamentalist Christian families. People on these shows spend a lot of time talking about what they don’t do. The women don’t wear pants. They don’t date. And they definitely don’t kiss before marriage.

Of course there are things we shouldn’t do. But rather than spending our energy focusing on those, in the scripture above Jesus points us to a better way. A way focused on the do’s, a way focused on love.

Would these reality tv stars serve as better Christian witnesses by sharing about the marriage prep they did (if they did?) rather than spending 6 episodes explaining why they weren’t going to lock lips before saying I do? I think so.

TV aside, tonight I’m asking myself, what do I take pride in not doing? And in what ways can I focus more on the things I can do with great love?