Today’s Friday on Faith is airing on Thursday; I’m off on Friday
CONLEY COMMENTARY (WSAU) – At my bible study last week, one of the women said something that I’d never heard before. She said “Jesus has always been about relationships, not rules.” I thought her observation was extraordinary; something I’d never heard before. And she’s right.
There is no example in Jesus’ ministry where he withheld his healing or forgiveness from someone in need. And there is no example where Jesus told someone to do something first – and then he would help them.
The leper who was cleansed, the woman who was bleeding, the man who was blind, the deaf man whose hearing was restored, the woman who was caught in adultery – not once did Jesus tell them to stop doing this sin, or clean up this mess in your life; then come back to me and I’ll help.
And Jesus could have been taken advantage of. He told the leper to tell no one. His instructions were to go to the priest to be examined, and then make the proper offering in the synagogue. The story doesn’t tell us if the healed man did any of that. For all we know he could have gone on his merry way. But that would tell us something about his nature, not Jesus’ nature.
It is no different for us. If you give to charity, you really don’t know if it goes to the cause or to administrative overhead. If you give money to the homeless, you’d like to think it went for food, but it could have been used for drugs or booze. We are called to step out in faith, even though we don’t know what the end result will be.
And do not forget that Jesus also went first for you and me. While we are still sinners, He gave Himself up for us on the cross. We aren’t worthy of such a sacrifice. Let’s do all we can to live up to it.
Chris Conley
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