Mark 12:14b

"Teacher, we know that You are true, and care about no one; for You do not regard the person of men, but teach the way of God in truth."

It's often been said that "flattery will get you no where". Imagine trying to flatter the King of kings. How idiotic! To do anything like that presumes the Recipient is only human, and a sinful human at that because flattery puffs up, if the receiver accepts it at face value. But the Recipient in this case is more than human, and much more than that indeed. The triune God needs no foundation laid to enter into His presence except that one venture through the only gate that leads to Him, the gate of Jesus Christ the Lord. "... no one comes to the Father, but through me." (John 14:6b)

I pray and behave at times to get what I want, thinking that if I please Him as my mind imagines He wants to be pleased then He'll reward me as I imagined. Not so with God because He is no respecter of persons. "... the way of God in truth", an ironic statement by those who attempted to trick the Savior, is the only path God will go down with me. Why? Because He "(You) are true", and to be true means that He must always do what is right and just. God is God, and it's as simple and complicated as that. He will do as He pleases. (cf. Psalm 115:3)

'May the direction of my heart's prayers today be steered toward those things You desire, things that please You, believing that mountains will be moved as I refrain by your grace from flattery (or anything remotely resembling it) and retrain my mind toward divinity.'