Let's just cheer.

But they were filled with fury.

Luke 6:11

I can’t imagine going through life with only one hand. Every day both hands are full, wiping counters, noses and bottoms, writing and folding and creating and holding. I can’t imagine doing life one-handed.

But that’s exactly what the man in Luke 6 had done. Lived one-handed. His other hand was withered. But then one glorious Saturday enters a synagogue and finds Jesus. Jesus catches his eyes and holds his gaze intently. Then speaks:

“Come and stand here.”  

The man, perhaps startled, goes and stands by Jesus. Jesus says something to the people around, then turns again to the man.

“Stretch out your hand.” And the man did so, and his hand was restored.

Wonderful! What great news! A handicapped man has just been physical healed, miraculously healed! Let’s celebrate, we’ve just witnessed God Himself revealed in the natural world. We’ve just seen God’s power. Everyone is cheering!

Not everyone. The very next line reads:

“But they were filled with fury…”

Who?

The scribes and Pharisees. The scribes and Pharisees had been watching the whole scene unfold. They knew what day it was–the Sabbath–and they knew that Jesus’ miracle was deliberate. They were furious.

Why? Because Jesus’ miracle interfered with their already-established way of life. Jesus’ intervention on behalf of this man wounded their egos and crushed their pride. It showed that God was doing something that they were not part of. All that they found their worth and value in — honoring the Sabbath and keeping the Law — was blown away like dust as Jesus breathed healing life into this man.

Silly Pharisees, we say.

Oops, that’s us. 

Let’s paint it in a nice fictitious way. Sarah and Kelly both have small groups. Both are excited to serve God and see Him move powerfully. Kelly puts the time in week after week, praying and faithfully serving, but her group remains small. As the weeks go on, Sarah’s group grows and grows. More and more women keep coming. They are seeing God move in amazing ways. Women’s marriages are healed, addictions are being broken, a few unbelievers show up and get saved! It’s amazing. Hallelujah! Let’s celebrate the work of God! Everyone’s cheering!

Is Kelly cheering?

No. Kelly is furious. Oh not outwardly, of course not. She can’t believe the thoughts she’s having, like a jealous middle-schooler. But deep down, everytime she hears another miraculous Jesus-encounter from Sarah’s group, deep down she’s furious.

Have you ever been there? (of course not!)

Another church is blessed. Or, God speaks powerfully through a sermon, everyone is amazed at the work of God, but you feel like the sermon was directed right at you, pointing you out, and you’re furious. 

God’s miraculous work is cause for rejoice, but sadly, I have sometimes seen God’s hand working and deep down felt a little furious because it interfered with my already-established way of life. Or it showed that God was moving and I wasn’t in the middle of it. Or His activity wounded my ego or crushed my pride.

Sadly, we can actually find ourselves furious at the miraculous work of God. 

The children’s song comes to mind, “I don’t want to be a Pharisee…”

I don’t want to be a Pharisee.  I don’t think you do either.

Let’s ask God to give us hearts free from the burden of prideful religion. Hearts so genuinely caught up in God’s glory that we truly rejoice whenever we see Him lift up. Hearts genuinely caught up in loving others that we truly rejoice whenever we see them benefit.

Cheering a sister on when her withered hand is healed. Or when her kid gets the scholarship instead of yours. Or when she loses 10 lbs. and you don’t. Or when her Bible study flourishes. Or when she gets promoted.

When God moves, however it may be …

let’s just cheer.

{Thanks, sisters (and brothers!), for reading.}