“He replied to them, ‘Who among you, if he had a sheep that fell into a pit on the Sabbath, wouldn’t take hold of it and lift it out? A person is worth far more than a sheep; so it is lawful to do what is good on the Sabbath.’” – Matthew 12:11-12

In Matthew chapter 12, the religious leaders are trying to trap Jesus. There is a man in need of healing, but it is the Sabbath. According to the law, no work should be done on the Sabbath and, in the eyes of the religious leaders, this included healing people. Jesus is not fooled by their trap, however. He says that any one of them would rescue a sheep on the Sabbath, so why not a human being?! They had come to the place where an animal was more important than their legalism and more important than their fellow Israelite. Hypocrites!

So, I want to ask you today, what in your life is more important than your fellow humans? Is your job, your money, your hobby, or your ego taking priority over the people in your life? There are people all around you who need the healing that Jesus Christ can give. What is keeping you from bringing it to them? In many ways, we are often no different than these Pharisees. We would see the importance of rescuing a sheep while completely missing the importance of rescuing a fellow human being. The most important thing on earth, in God’s eyes, is the people who live here. He sacrificed his own son so that they could be saved. Where do they rank in your priorities? What keeps you from bringing the Good News of Jesus Christ to the people around you?

Heavenly Father, please reveal to us the fault in our priorities. Help us to understand the eternal value that the people around us have. Give us a passion, over everything else, to bring them Your message of healing and eternal life.

In Christ’s Service,

Pastor Shane Cannon