Matthew 12:11-12 He said to them, “If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”

Jesus certainly was astute at exposing hypocrisy! One thing that struck me as I read this just now was that the hypothetical sheep was property, so losing the sheep would have been financial loss. In contrast, the man with the withered hand wasn’t a slave, so his health didn’t impact the finances of anyone involved. The Pharisees, like so many of us, evaluated things on the basis of their bottom line instead of on the basis of what was right in God’s eyes. When Jesus said, “A man is far more valuable than a sheep,” their inner reaction may have been, “To whom?” Failing to value things by God’s standards is a major reason for much of the evil in the world. We tend to look at everything through a filter of “What’s in it for me?” If we delight ourselves in the Lord, rather than in material/temporal things, we discover joy, peace, and satisfaction that are attainable no other way. (Psalm 37:4; 16:11) When we go at things legalistically as the Pharisees did, we may think we are striving to please God but the focus is on us. When our focus is on Him and being His instrument, then the focus shifts to what He loves, what pleases Him. That might seem like a small difference when expressed in words, but the difference in practice is huge, as this story illustrates.

I’ve always disliked legalism, but sometimes I have drifted to the point of discarding rules altogether, and that’s certainly foolish. I need to keep my focus on fellowship with God by His Spirit, because when that is in place, everything else falls into place as well. I am not to be so “spiritual” that I overlook or ignore the needs of the person next to me, but rather remember that Jesus came not to be served but to serve. (Mark 10:45) I am not to burn out by just doing stuff, but rather let the Holy Spirit burn through me, keeping my connection with Him.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the good day yesterday and for all You did in it. Thank You for the new people who came to the service, just as they said they would, and for how You moved in the service to touch all present. I do pray for courage for people to let go of what they have been clinging to in order to receive what You have for them. I wasn’t “aiming at” anyone in particular as I spoke, but conviction was evident. Help me be available and responsive for however You want to use me in the “birthing process” of bringing people into Your family, so that these people whom You value so highly may be secure for eternity, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!