Laws or love?

The Pharisees, then, asked the man again how he had received his sight. He told them, ‘He put some mud on my eyes; I washed my face, and now I can see.’ Some of the Pharisees said, ‘The man who did this cannot be from God, for he does not obey the Sabbath law.’ (verses 15,16)

Read John 9:1-23

Today’s bible reading is the first part of an interesting story about Jesus healing a man who had been born blind.

The Jewish religious leaders and Pharisees were aware of the man—and the miracle. They hated Jesus and were plotting against him, vainly trying to find some reason to be rid of him once and for all.

When they questioned the man, he said, ‘He put some mud on my eyes; I washed my face, and now I can see’.

Here was a man being healed, by Jesus, on the Sabbath! Jesus could not possibly be their God; he did not obey the Sabbath law. The law forbade working on the Sabbath, and here was Jesus openly working, giving a man his sight.

How easy it is to become so caught up in traditions and by-laws that we are prevented from serving others in love and miss out on God’s grace.

Pray that no-one is lost from the family of God through our putting laws before love.

When I hesitate to help others because it may not be ‘the done thing’, help me, Lord Jesus, to act with love and for your glory. Amen.

by Grace Bock, in Assurance for each day (LCA, Openbook, 2004)

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