Slow Down

Luke 7:46-47 “You neglected the courtesy of olive oil to anoint my head, but she has anointed my feet with rare perfume. “I tell you, her sins—and they are many—have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love.”

Our first lesson from the story in Matthew 12:9-14 (please read again) is Embrace Compassion. Just like Simon, the Pharisee, sometimes people forget the help and the mercy that God has shown them and become so legalistic, even in relating with other people that God wants to help and show mercy. For instance, we had a leader in the past who, when she started coming to church, I can’t even tell you the things that were revealing because it is censored. But God helped this person and helped this person and eventually this person became a leader in church, transformed. Then this person would call me and would be so angry on the phone.

What was the problem? “Pastor, why would we allow this kind of person to come to church?” “Which kind of person?”, I asked. “Did you see how she was dressed?” I said, “I am sorry I didn’t see it.” “But she was sitting at such and such a row, dressed in such and such.” And I am like, “I didn’t see the person, but what is the issue?” “Pastor, how can we allow such a person to come to church?” And I said to her, “You have forgotten where you were and how you looked when you first came to church.” “How was I, Pastor?” and I responded, “That is the question.” Most times, even though God has helped us and graced us, we are so impatient with other people who God wants to help. Rather than understanding that the same grace that helped us will help them, we judge them.

God is saying embrace compassion, be slow to judge that person, be slow to become a Pharisee. Matthew 12:¹⁰ “And behold, there was a man who had a withered hand. And they asked Him, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—that they might accuse Him.” (NKJV). And even though the Bible did not say it, the man was there. So, if I were to extend that verse, it would read something like, “…they accused him, and the man could hear them.” Imagine that Jesus has finally come to your aid, your miracle has come finally, and people are questioning Jesus. “Are you really going to heal this man on the Sabbath?” And the man was there. How did he feel?

Most times, legalistic people don’t care how people feel. Meanwhile, God says in Luke 6:³⁶ “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” (NIV). How does God expect you and me to be merciful? Just like He, God is merciful. How is God merciful? Think about your life, think about God’s mercies in your life. How does your own mercy compare? Be merciful like God is merciful.

Prayer: Father, search me and know my heart, point out anything in me that offends You, lead me in the right path, and make me more like You, in the Mighty Name of Jesus. Amen!