Scripture
“The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, except for one loaf they had with them in the boat. ‘Be careful,’ Jesus warned them. ‘Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod.’ They discussed this with one another and said, “It is because we have no bread.’” (Mark 8:14-16)
Observation
In forgetting to bring the bread, the disciples thought Jesus was concerned about their forgetfulness. However, Jesus was more concerned with and warning the disciples about letting the sins of the Pharisees and Herod take root in their thinking, like yeast to bread. Yeast or levain is the key starter to baking. The levain is the leavening agent that causes the flour and water mixture to ferment. It permeates the whole lump of dough and is the catalyst to get the dough to respond and rise. So, to, would the influences of the Pharisees and Herod take root in them if they were not careful.
Application
I too need to be careful of letting the things of the world, and small potential seeds of sin creep into my life and cause my thinking to be skewed from the ways and will of the Lord, and instead to be influenced by the world. The result is possibly compromising my principles and character, and opening myself to sin. Or, it can be more subtle where I accept and join in on the ways of the world without evening knowing what I’m doing, such as celebrating Halloween. Seeds of sin are usual very subtle, especially how the world and the enemy will disguise temptation. The world tends to package pathways to sin in descreet way. Just as Jesus cautioned the disciples, I need to keep His word in my mind and heart to be the filter in recognizing the yeast of the enemy.
Prayer
Dear Lord, may you enable my eyes to see, my ears to hear and my heart to recognize what is of you and what is of the enemy, that I may always choose your way and will and not fall to the enemy’s seeds of temptation that can be so strategically disguised.
