Reading: Luke 6:1-19

We can learn a lot by watching. It pays to watch a master, someone who is expert at what he does.

But sometimes the condition of my heart causes my watching to go to waste.

Like this:

“And the scribes and Pharisees watched him, whether he would heal on the sabbath day’ that they might find an accusation against him” (7).

They just knew Jesus’ compassion would compel Him to heal at least one person. (By the way, what do people “just know” about me?) So they kept Him under observation, expecting to have their suspicions proven true.

Yes, suspicions. They wanted another reason to accuse Him, to find fault with Him. (By the way, do I ever have that motivation for watching or listening to people?)

Too bad.

They could have been watching Him to learn more of God’s heart and ways.

They could have been watching Him to learn how to be better leaders and shpeherds.

They could have been watching Him to be encouraged and enlightened.

They could have been watching Him to see yet another reason to praise God.

But they wasted their watchfulness.

What a pity!

from Luke 6:8

A little bit more from Luke 6: If Jesus Needed This . . . .

I wrote this on the date shown but somehow didn’t post it. Today is August 4!

Reading: Luke 5:17-39

Visible faith? Visible faith?

Absolutely!

“And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee” (20).

Faith is visible because faith works. And works are visible.

When I read that verse, I had to ask myself something along these lines: “What about my faith can others see?”

When things go wrong, my faith should determine my attitudes and my reactions. (And when things go well also.)

When people treat me wrongly, my faith will guide my heart and all the rest of me. (Ditto when folks are kind and just and generous towards me.)

In all those circumstances, people can see my faith (or lack of it).

They can also see my faith in my facial expressions, on the covers of the books I read, in the sounds of my music, in my way of dressing, on my vehicles, in my response to authority, in my driving…and maybe even my shopping cart?

On and on it goes because faith is extremely practical.

And always visible. Unless it isn’t there.

“Help me, Lord, to have faith. And to live by faith!”

Luke 5:28

A little bit more from Luke 5: Calling All Sinners