MAJORING ON THE MINOR
These ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
Matthew 23:23
Jesus was not preaching mainly on tithing here. Some have emphasized the negative side of this admonition until it has been overlooked that our Lord is pleading for “the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy and faith.”
When Christians “major on the major,” put first things first, and give proper attention to their faith in and fellowship with Christ, they will not leave lesser things undone. We are in peril of getting people to join church, tithe, and observe certain religious duties which, indeed, ought not to be left undone, but still omitting the supreme things which they should do first. Such procedure only confirms them in their self-righteousness and makes them doubly hard to reach with spiritual “first things.” Don’t forget that the Pharisees read the Scriptures, went to church, prayed, gave a tenth- and went to hell. Our righteousness must exceed theirs.
Let us “major on the major” and “minor on the minor.”