Do Good, It's Not Against the Law

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 person than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”

Matthew 12:11c-12 NIV

The image is still clear in my mind. I was in England at Capernwray Bible School. I sat down in my seat for class and the head of the school, Mr. Stracum, was at the podium and he just started quickly leafing through his Bible and every few seconds look up and sharply snap, "What does the Bible say? What does the Bible say?" 

We had just had a class on ethics the day before and the topics set off a barrage of verbal scrums usually only seen at the local pub when rival teams squared off for a championship match. 

Mr. Stracum reminded all of us that the Bible teaches about mercy, grace, forgiveness and redemption. Sometimes when we seek to follow Christ we get locked into legalism without even trying. Why? There's a lot of reasons, but, I think it's usually because we want to lock into  routine where we can just choose and act. We set a few guidelines that we inwardly make laws because we feel guilty if we don't do them. 

The point the Mr. Stracum made was that Jesus was more concerned about the person with the need than the rules and regulations added by the teachers of the day. We need to look at the person. Each person has an inherent value because they were created in the image of God, whether they know that or believe that to be true. 

I guess, in the end the point is: Do good in Jesus' Name and don't worry about what anyone else thinks.

AN ANSWER FAST?

"My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires." James 1:19-20

I don't know about you, but if there is something I consistently get backwards it is this. I'm slow to listen, quick to speak, and quick to become angry.  Which would probably explain most of the strife and confusion in my life. 

Major Ian Thomas, the founder of the Torchbearer schools, once said, and I quote, "The obvious is so obvious, that if often fails to be obvious." I believe that James 1:20-21's message is pretty straight forward. Stop talking, start listening and remember the grace - the death of Christ - that was required to save you. 

I once went on an answer fast. I didn't answer or speak for 30 seconds when someone said something to me. I spent a lot of time explaining why I wasn't talking. A few people suggested I do it more often. (Which of course was good I had to wait to respond to that comment.) What it showed me was how often I spoke out of anger or pure emotion and how thoughtless much of what I said really was. 

The righteous life is what God desires to build and see in us. We may be trying to build a happy life or a wealthy life or an exciting life. All that may happen but, God's primary concern is the righteous life in us, Christ in us, the hope of glory. 

Maybe it's time to remember that righteousness is the end God has in mind and so should we.

Father, help us to seek righteousness. Praise be to you in us today!