Luke 14 A Gentle Heart, Not a Cold One

3. Jesus answered the teachers of the law and the Pharisees, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?"

5. He asked them, "If one of you has a son or an ox that falls into a well on the Sabbath day, will you not immediately pull him out?"

◇ Jesus had accepted an invitation from a Pharisee leader to dine at his house. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees were watching him closely, with an unfriendly gaze.

A man with abnormal fluid retention appeared before them. Jesus wanted to heal him and had already decided to do so. So, Jesus asked the watching teachers of the law and Pharisees, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?"

When they did not answer, Jesus healed the man with fluid retention and sent him on his way.

The teachers of the law and the Pharisees certainly knew that the greatest commandments were to love God and love your neighbor. As they read, studied, and researched the law, they should have understood God's heart - how much He desires compassion and loving-kindness.

They knew very well that ignoring the man with fluid retention in the name of rules, traditions, and God's law was against God's heart.

If our hearts become cold and legalistic, and we neglect, abandon, and turn away from those in pain like the man with fluid retention, how would that grieve God's heart?

Not keeping the Sabbath was punishable by death by stoning. But reaching out to relieve someone's suffering transcends the Sabbath. The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.

♧ Merciful God, grant us not a cold, legalistic heart, but the warm heart of the Lord. Holy Spirit, empower us to be strong and courageous. Amen.