Word@Work Luke229 - Luke14:5-6
Published: Mon, 11/08/10
Word@Work from BeaconLight
ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR
Luke 14:5-6 Then he asked them, "If one of you has a son or an ox that falls into a well on the Sabbath day, will you not immediately pull him out?" And they had nothing to say. (NIV)
Animals matter to God. He has made them and allowed them to provide part of our food supply, clothing and hard wearing leather. They are not made in the image of God, as human beings are, but they are all to be treated with dignity and compassion, and Jesus used them as an example of the way God cares about even the birds. Indeed, one of the ways children learn to be caring is to look after animals. However, in parts of the world, pet animals are sometimes treated with more care than people; while farming communities see animal welfare as important as the financiers who protect their investment portfolio. Put bluntly: animals are money, so their welfare may be more economic than sentimental.
Jesus exposed the hypocrisy of their religion. The Pharisees said that no healing might be done on the Sabbath (even though they were incapable of healing!), but accepted that the commercially valuable animals must be rescued even if they fell into a pit on the Sabbath. That gave livestock greater rights and freedom than humans! By contrast, the Pharisees wanted people to continue to suffer on the Sabbath just to comply with their rules (which God had not given).
Hypocrisy comes in many different forms. Here, while pretending to be zealous for God, the financial implications of leaving a large animal in a pit (where it would die) outweighed all the regulations about people not being allowed to work. Their god was really their money. However, by contrast, Jesus came to rescue people who had fallen into the pit of sin. He valued human beings much more highly than animals: He knew we would die in our sins if we were left to ourselves ... and so He was determined to save us. The healings on the Sabbath were visible demonstrations that He could and would fulfil His mission. Religion which plays legalistic games but cannot save is useless - it is the ultimate hypocrisy. But by contrast, Jesus sacrificed Himself because He wanted to save people from their sin. What a freedom that should give us in sharing our faith with others at work. We do not want (or need) to force people into a particular pattern of religious behaviour: but we do want them to meet Jesus and be transformed by Him.
Prayer: Gracious God our loving heavenly Father. Thank You that You care about the animals and birds, but you care for me far more! I am sorry when I have turned my relationship with You into a set of regulations, and forget that Your loving wisdom is far wider than I realise. Help me to seek You with all of my heart today, and rejoice in my fellowship with You by worshipping You and serving You each day. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
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Animals matter to God. He has made them and allowed them to provide part of our food supply, clothing and hard wearing leather. They are not made in the image of God, as human beings are, but they are all to be treated with dignity and compassion, and Jesus used them as an example of the way God cares about even the birds. Indeed, one of the ways children learn to be caring is to look after animals. However, in parts of the world, pet animals are sometimes treated with more care than people; while farming communities see animal welfare as important as the financiers who protect their investment portfolio. Put bluntly: animals are money, so their welfare may be more economic than sentimental.
Jesus exposed the hypocrisy of their religion. The Pharisees said that no healing might be done on the Sabbath (even though they were incapable of healing!), but accepted that the commercially valuable animals must be rescued even if they fell into a pit on the Sabbath. That gave livestock greater rights and freedom than humans! By contrast, the Pharisees wanted people to continue to suffer on the Sabbath just to comply with their rules (which God had not given).
Hypocrisy comes in many different forms. Here, while pretending to be zealous for God, the financial implications of leaving a large animal in a pit (where it would die) outweighed all the regulations about people not being allowed to work. Their god was really their money. However, by contrast, Jesus came to rescue people who had fallen into the pit of sin. He valued human beings much more highly than animals: He knew we would die in our sins if we were left to ourselves ... and so He was determined to save us. The healings on the Sabbath were visible demonstrations that He could and would fulfil His mission. Religion which plays legalistic games but cannot save is useless - it is the ultimate hypocrisy. But by contrast, Jesus sacrificed Himself because He wanted to save people from their sin. What a freedom that should give us in sharing our faith with others at work. We do not want (or need) to force people into a particular pattern of religious behaviour: but we do want them to meet Jesus and be transformed by Him.
Prayer: Gracious God our loving heavenly Father. Thank You that You care about the animals and birds, but you care for me far more! I am sorry when I have turned my relationship with You into a set of regulations, and forget that Your loving wisdom is far wider than I realise. Help me to seek You with all of my heart today, and rejoice in my fellowship with You by worshipping You and serving You each day. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
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