Laws and traditions are good for us.  They prevent us (at times) from approaching extremes that could harm us.  They allow for a solid structure on which to build our faith, our values, our relationships, and ultimately the society we live in.  But there are times when our traditions and laws are more of a hindrance than a help.  There are times when our inability to self-manage opportunities to show compassion get in the way of what it means to honor the laws or traditions we make.  We then find ourselves in Catch-22 situations that put us between a rock and a hard place.  For the lawyers and the Pharisees, the question was simple, but the answer was not.  While they are generous and compassionate toward their animals, they seem dumbstruck to show that same compassion toward another human because a law or tradition stands in the way.  It was never God’s intention to permit laws or traditions to restrict the grace that God so generously offers to those who are hurting, whether they are human or animal.  Why it takes such a leap of faith for us to realize that God’s grace supersedes the laws and traditions of men, baffles most of us.  There are no restrictions to God’s grace regardless of the day.

• Has there ever been a time when you found a human law or tradition in conflict with God’s desire to show someone mercy?
• If so, what did you do to resolve the issue?
• If not, what do you believe is the appropriate way to respond?

Todays Prayer

Today’s Prayer
Loving God, help me to distance myself from the idea that human laws and traditions have priority over Your grace. Teach me to understand that Your grace is unrestricted.

         Grace (God’s unmerited favor) has always been a commodity you can’t find on store shelves.  It’s free and it’s never forced upon us.  And God gives it to whom God chooses and to those who are willing to receive it when it’s offered.  But there’s more than one way to restrict God’s grace.  One way is to act as a prohibitor, preventing those from receiving it because tradition and habit stand in the way.  It becomes a rock one is unwilling to move so that someone else may gain access to the grace that’s provided.  Another way to restrict God’s grace is more personal.  It becomes restricted by a person’s lack of faith.  Our unwillingness to accept God’s grace is a sure way to restrict it.  God has never forced anyone to accept the grace freely offered.  And so, personally denying access to that grace because it is our faith that’s lacking is probably the most effective way to restrict God’s grace.  It does need to be understood though that a refusal to accept or receive God’s grace doesn’t change the quality of God’s grace.  Nor does it change the means by which it is offered.  Whether we accept it or refuse it, God’s grace — undeserved, unearned, and unmerited — still remains unrestricted and free to any and all to whom God chooses to offer it.

Todays Prayer

Today’s Prayer
Loving God, help me to not be a restrictor of Your grace, whether it is being offered to me or I’m standing in the way of another person’s blessing of faith. Help me to be an instrument of your grace.

         Our willingness and ability to help people is in jeopardy when we consider kindness as an act outside of the limits of normal compassion.  John Wesley, the founder of Methodism had the idea to promote kindness as a way of life.  His suggestion is to

     “Do all the good you can,

     by all the means you can,

     in all the ways you can,

     in all the places you can,

     at all the times you can,

     to all the people you can,

     as long as ever you can.”

         Jesus’ approach was most likely what prompted the thinking of John Wesley.  His idea was not to restrict God’s grace because of sabbath law, but to expand our understanding of it.  The question he asked, “Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the sabbath, to save life or to destroy?”  was a rhetorical one except to those who were married to sabbath law.  While they took the law seriously believing that you don’t do anything on the sabbath but honor the day, they were oblivious to the idea that restricting God’s grace was a way to dishonor both God and the sabbath.  For those who were married to sabbath law, that meant honoring the day, even if people are being hurt.  Honor the day, even if lives are being destroyed.  Honor the day even if people are being oppressed.  Honor the day, even if by honoring the day you dishonor God.

         If honoring the sabbath means making yourself a divine troublemaker for those who errantly hold the law above the mercy and love of God, neglecting the full and spiritual meaning of the sabbath, then it’s better to honor God and the sabbath and become a divine troublemaker to those willing to restrict you from doing good, and saving life.  Jesus understood that restricting God’s grace any day, was a dishonor to God every day.

Todays Prayer

Today’s Prayer
Gracious God, empower me to honor the sabbath realizing that any day Your grace can be offered unrestricted, is a day when everyone can give praise, honor, and glory to Your name.