Today’s passage is Matthew 12:1-8.
When Jesus is walking through a field of grain, some of his disciples pick the heads and eat them, which the Pharisees observe.
They complain to Jesus that they’re breaking the Sabbath law. Jesus says there are moments when the law doesn’t apply, and mercy always overrides the law.
Rules are important and standards are important. But they’re not meant to be worshipped.
They’re not God. I’ve lost sight of that all my life.
As principal of my school, I have working hours. All my jobs have had working hours.
During those hours I have to do work.
The week before school begins for students, there is a lot to do.
Teachers come and go during the week because their main job will start next week.
But I need to be there for meetings with teachers, staff, parents, new students, maintenance.
I’m responsible for the school being ready to start.
This is not a week for me to be absent from school, but two things happened to cause me pharisaical stress.
First, the hospital called and told me I had to come in tomorrow morning. That means half my day is gone to merely look after my health.
Then I had to make a decision about this weekend’s Sunday School Youth camp. It’s Thursday through Saturday.
I couldn’t go to all three days. I planned to go to just Friday night and Saturday. Why? Because my rule to go to work was more important than a special occasion of Sunday School camp.
But what was really more important? My working rule or being with my Sunday School class?
I realized I was sacrificing my Sunday School boys to my working rule.
I have to attend a new parents meeting on Thursday morning but after that I need to show some mercy to myself, my boys, and the many people who have organized the camp. So I will go to camp just a few hours late on Thursday.
Lord, help me always to keep you out in front of me so I can see who I’m worshipping and why I’m really doing anything.
