No half measures

Morning: Psalms 40, 54; Exodus 34:18-35; I Thessalonians 3:1-13

Evening: Psalm 51; Matthew 5:27-37

When it comes to standards of human behaviour, Jesus is fierce. He will not countenance excuses, as if some offensive behaviour might be explained away as somehow less culpable. For him, every kind of behaviour that breaks human relationships fractures the natural balance of things. There is no such thing as a little bit of adultery. Or a small broken promise. When you find yourself participating in such brokenness, there is no way around it. You must face it and put it right. Jesus’ advice is deliberately extreme, to draw attention to the need for drastic action to heal brokenness.