When is the Right Time to do Good?

Matthew 12:9-14

New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)

⁹ Going on from that place, he went into their synagogue, ¹⁰ and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”

¹¹ 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? ¹² How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”

¹³ Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other. ¹⁴ But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus.

(http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2012:%209%20-%2014&version=NIV1984)

Jesus answered the Pharisees question and then proceeded to do as He had spoken.  What do you think the Pharisees would have said if He would have given them the answer that He did and then walked right by the man with the shriveled hand?  They did not like that He did heal the man but if He would have said it was okay to do good and then walked by, they would have been able to trip Him up and that is what they were wanting to do.  I think sometimes there are people brought into our lives trying to do the same thing.  Whether it is a work, at school or even at church we have people watching us closely, listening to what we say and then waiting to see if we practice what we say or not. 

I have heard it from the mouths of people for a long time, “I don’t want to go to church, it is just full of hypocrites.”  What I hear people saying is that they watch the lives of others and see that they are not any different than themselves, but what they don’t know is that they are forgiven.  Does that give us the license to just do as we please? Do it mean that we can do things the way we want?  Can we  be one person at church, another at work, and still another at home?  Absolutely not!  We are forgiven, all the more reason to be the same no matter where we are.  If we think that it gives us a license to sin then we need to go back to yesterday’s blog where we looked at taking up our cross DAILY.  It doesn’t say, “take up the cross on Sunday” it says DAILY. 

Where are you today?  Do you see yourself saying what you mean and doing what you say or are you the one that says what you say and if you feel like it you might even take your own advice? 

 As you seek Him and find Him may you share with others through words and even more importantly through your actions.  Remember, just as the Pharisees did to Jesus so others will do to you, they are listening, watching, and waiting for you to slip up.  Jesus forgives but others may not.  Let’s demonstrate Christ love as we seek Him and we find Him, seeking Him with all our hearts.

Seeking Him with all my heart,

Sheila