Matthew 12:9-13 “Then Jesus went over to their synagogue, where he noticed a man with a deformed hand. The Pharisees asked Jesus, “Does the law permit a person to work by healing on the Sabbath?” (They were hoping he would say yes, so they could bring charges against him.)And he answered, “If you had a sheep that fell into a well on the Sabbath, wouldn’t you work to pull it out? Of course you would. And how much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Yes, the law permits a person to do good on the Sabbath.” Then he said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” So the man held out his hand, and it was restored, just like the other one!
So many times God places us in a situation where we have to make a choice. To follow His will and leading or to follow the plans and agenda we had set out in the first place. Maybe it is something as simple as praying for a loved one. Or it may be the tugging on your heart to something harder. Either way ministry, the work of God, is rarely convenient. The inconvenient truth is God does not always operate in the way we expect Him to or even in the way He has in our past.
The Pharisees struggled with this, there was a specific way to do things and life did not allow them to deviate from it. Jesus though did not always do what was expected and in verse 12 points out, ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’ The Pharisees followed the law to the letter but in doing so they missed the spirit of the law. Their focus was on themselves and they ignored the hurting, dying world around them. They focused on the law, sacrifices, and missed showing mercy which was part of the purpose of the law.
In the same way we too need to be careful. We live in a day and age where we as believers are known more for what we are against as opposed to the love, compassion, and mercy we show others. St Francis of Assisi once said, “Preach the Gospel, when necessary use words!” Our lives need to be a reflection of Christ and it should not matter whether it is convenient or inconvenient.
Ultimately when life is most inconvenient for us, that is when God shines through the most. So the next time you are torn between something that is important to you and something that is important to God. Take time to follow the leading of God, you’ll be amazed at the impact you will have for God by doing it.
Will you only do what is convenient or will you let God work in your inconvenience?
