Good or Evil

 DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE

GOOD OR EVIL

Luke 6:6-11

6 On another Sabbath he went into the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was shriveled. 7 The Pharisees and the teachers of the law were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal on the Sabbath. 8 But Jesus knew what they were thinking and said to the man with the shriveled hand, "Get up and stand in front of everyone." So he got up and stood there. 9 Then Jesus said to them, "I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?"  10 He looked around at them all, and then said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He did so, and his hand was completely restored. 11 But they were furious and began to discuss with one another what they might do to Jesus.

NIV

Because we focused on the idea that Jesus knew their thoughts, how Jesus is God, and that God surely knows our thoughts, we did not get to the healing of the man with the withered hand. It is interesting that the Pharisees and the teachers of the law knew there was this man with a withered hand in the synagogue but did not have any compassion on him but were only watching to see if Jesus would have compassion on him and heal him and do so on the Sabbath, which they would consider as doing what should not be done on the Sabbath. They were more concerned with the law than with the poor condition of this man with a withered hand. So, Jesus did not disappoint them and had the man stand up in front of everyone. Then Jesus asked the very important question. “which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good, or to do evil, to save a life or to destroy it?” We understand the first part of his question about good or evil, but we are not sure about saving or destroying a life. Perhaps this had more meaning to the Jews, as one of our scholars of old thinks this was a maxim of the Jews. Nevertheless, the truth that strikes a chord with us is concerning whether to do good or evil on the Sabbath. We wonder if we are doing good on Sunday in church, or are there moments of thinking evil, or even doing evil on Sunday. Do we truly love each other when we gather, or are there those that we would rather avoid, or not want to talk to, or greet with love in our hearts? Are we putting up a façade looking holy and righteous, but have some not to loving thoughts about a certain one among the congregation? Of course, Jesus was talking about whether it was right to heal someone on the Sabbath, which would be saving a life, or letting the man continue to live with a withered hand, which would be destroying his life. But do we look to heal any broken relationships, if there are any, while we gather to worship God? Or do we allow those hurts that we may have caused by actions, or inactions to go unhealed, leaving someone leave the church still hurt, or unhealed?  Let us always be about doing that which is good, especially while in the assembly of the people of God and during worship.