Grain

Luke 6:1-11 (The Message)

On a certain Sabbath Jesus was walking through a field of ripe grain.

His disciples were pulling off heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands to get rid of the chaff, and eating them.

Some Pharisees said, "Why are you doing that, breaking a Sabbath rule?"

But Jesus stood up for them.

"Have you never read what David and those with him did when they were hungry? How he entered the sanctuary and ate fresh bread off the altar, bread that no one but priests were allowed to eat? He also handed it out to his companions."

Then he said, "The Son of Man is no slave to the Sabbath; he's in charge."

On another Sabbath he went to the meeting place and taught.

There was a man there with a crippled right hand. The religion scholars and Pharisees had their eye on Jesus to see if he would heal the man, hoping to catch him in a Sabbath infraction.

He knew what they were up to and spoke to the man with the crippled hand: "Get up and stand here before us."

He did.

Then Jesus addressed them, "Let me ask you something: What kind of action suits the Sabbath best? Doing good or doing evil? Helping people or leaving them helpless?"

He looked around, looked each one in the eye.

He said to the man, "Hold out your hand." He held it out—it was as good as new!

They were beside themselves with anger, and started plotting how they might get even with him.

This story is pretty amazing when we break down its pieces, and very instructive for all of us who would seek to follow him and make our allegiance known in the world.

Jesus and his disciples...they're hungry and they eat grains of wheat.

The religious people...they knit-pick the rules and can't wait to see this man make a mistake.

Jesus and his disciples...honor the sabbath, but understand it in the right perspective...as a gift given to us by God to enhance our life, not to enslave us.

The religious people...they know the law inside and out and make sure they keep it to the letter...but they kill its spirit.

Jesus sees a man in physical need...and heals him!

The religious folks in the story...see the same man and just get angry because a "rule" has been broken!

2,000 years later, we "religious people" need to let this story speak into our lives. It's so very easy to become a defender of "what's right," and then do what is wrong. I know where I want to be in this story: standing with Jesus, celebrating a healing, not stewing in anger over "rule-breaking."

Think it sounds impossible that any one of us could wind up on the wrong side?

Really pay attention today to the things that make you mad? Why do they? What's really at work inside of us?

Jesus will change us, teach us and move us if we allow him the space.

Prayer: Father God, we ask with humble hearts that you put us on Jesus' side when there are choices to be made. We seek the side of truth and healing that puts people ahead of rules.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be. World without end. Amen.