Twisted Thoughts, Warped Values
I have been thinking lately about the importance of maintaining clear thoughts and healthy values. Without these we will eventually and unintentionally harm others.
Think about the following situation:
10 On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, 11 and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. 12 When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, "Woman, you are set free from your infirmity." 13 Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God.
14 Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue ruler said to the people, "There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath."
15 The Lord answered him, "You hypocrites! Doesn't each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water? 16 Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?"
17 When he said this, all his opponents were humiliated, but the people were delighted with all the wonderful things he was doing.
Think about the following situation:
10 On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, 11 and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. 12 When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, "Woman, you are set free from your infirmity." 13 Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God.
14 Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue ruler said to the people, "There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath."
15 The Lord answered him, "You hypocrites! Doesn't each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water? 16 Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?"
17 When he said this, all his opponents were humiliated, but the people were delighted with all the wonderful things he was doing.
Luke 13:10-17
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Jesus heals a woman on a Sabbath. The synagogue ruler got offended ("indignant"). Why? Because he wasn't thinking straight and his value system was warped.
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The synagogue ruler thought that healing someone on a Sabbath was forbidden work. This was wrong thinking (illogical). Jesus corrected him by kind of saying "So it's OK to care for thirsty donkeys on a Sabbath but not for sick human beings?" (my paraphrase).
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Not only was his logic off, his value system was too. He cared more about property (donkey) than about people.
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Notice that Jesus did not apologize or feel sorry that the synagogue ruler was offended. It was his own fault he was offended because of his twisted thoughts and warped values. Not only did Jesus not apologize, he called him a "hypocrite". I don't think we should do that very often, but we should not let people get away with hurting others through skewed values and errant thinking.
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