Blinded by the rules

Blinded by the rules

John 5: ¹⁶ For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath. ¹⁷ But Jesus answered them, “My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.”

¹⁸ Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God. 

============

After years of doing whatever I wanted to do, I decided to go back to church. I had enough of “sinning” and I wanted to follow GOD for a change. As I got deeper into reading and attending church, my speech started to change. “Look at THOSE people doing THAT sin.” I mean how dare they sin!

• There were times when I measured people to ‘my’ standard.
• There were times when I looked at what people were doing wrong so ‘I’ could correct them.
• There were times when I felt ‘I’ had arrived because of where ‘I’ had come from.

The church leaders sought to kill JESUS because HE performed a miracle on the Sabbath. JESUS replied with an answer stating HE and HIS FATHER have been working together. This statement grew the rage of the church leaders so they figured they had justification for their legal actions.

• GOD wants me to follow HIS word, knowing I am still a sinner.
• GOD wants me to read HIS word, knowing people need grace.
• GOD wants me to understand HIS heart through observing HIS actions while HE walked the earth.

Over the years I have tried to correct people into salvation from what I can see. If I see the right evidence, then I feel my work is done. BUT GOD says something different. HE wants me to plant HIS seeds and take my eyes off of the person as I give them to HIM.

Strong faith does not require seeing what GOD is doing in “that” person’s life. GOD wants me to recognize what HE is doing in my life so I can drop my complaints, control and conspiring attitude. I recognize I do not follow GOD’s rules, that’s why I need HIM and thank HIM for HIS grace.

• Do you think you are good at following rules?
• Are you busy pointing at those who do not follow the rules well?
• Will you ask GOD to open your blind, rule based eyes and allow HIM to add a measure of grace to your heart today?

Immediate Fame

Mark 15: ²¹ Then they compelled a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, the father of Alexander and Rufus, as he was coming out of the country and passing by, to bear His cross.

============

Sitting alphabetically was not in my favor this time. I wound up sitting around a couple of people who actually were doing the stuff to get my teacher’s attention, not in a good way. My teacher must have noticed something going on this particular day as she summoned me to her desk. Not knowing if I were in trouble or not, I walked timidly to her realm. “Go to the office…” I got nervous. “And get the movie projector.” I was relieved!

• Once I was chosen because of what bullies were doing.
• This one time I was chosen because the bullies were rowdy and I just happened to be there.
• One time I was chosen to do work but it did not seem like work because I was chosen.

Compelled is such a nice word that was used to describe the bullying from the soldiers. A Cyrenian named Simon just happened to be at the wrong place at the right time. He was forced to serve the Living GOD by carrying HIS cross. The guards were totally unaware that their actions would make this family famous.

• GOD tells me to “Take up my cross daily.”
• GOD says to me “Bear one another’s cross.”
• GOD implores me to “Love one another, just as I have loved you.”

The cross represents a painful execution method in this passage, however it means something else daily. GOD wants me to not only have sympathy, but empathy as I go through the pain of life “with” people.

Simon’s immediate fame was ordained by GOD. While the long walk was painful, embarrassing and degrading to Simon’s character, he would now be mentioned as being part of the Great News about CHRIST! GOD wants me to have a part in this as well. Through my circumstances HE adds my reward that HE will give me in heaven.

• Are you going through something difficult?
• Does it look like the bullies have forced you to do something degrading?
• Does it seem hopeless at times?
• Can you allow GOD to use this situation for HIS purpose?