These Ought Ye to Have Done

“But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.” Luke 11:42

The Pharisees prided themselves in always knowing the right answers and always doing the right things. They not only gave tithes (ten percent) of all of their financial income as the scripture commands, but they made sure to include tithes of the small amounts of spices and herbs that came into their possession as well. Giving ten percent of your income to God can seem like a difficult thing for someone who has never done it before; but for those who begin tithing at a young age, it is just a matter of setting aside God’s portion first. The Pharisees were using their obedience to one command of Scripture to excuse themselves from obeying other commands. Jesus pointed out that they were not fair in their administration of judgment and they did not love people as they should. These two areas have to do with how we treat people. Jesus said to them, “These ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.” In other words, tithing is important, but treating people fairly and loving God are more important. Keeping our relationships right will not excuse us from our Christian responsibilities, but simply fulfilling responsibilities will not excuse us from keeping right relationships either. As we strive to please God, let’s not use the things that are easy for us to do to excuse us from those things that are difficult for us.