Jesus Out of the Box

by Walter L. Cook

“And Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to harm, to save life or to destroy it?” - Luke 6:9

He Clashed With Tradition

A water lily is beautiful, but it is a coward. When the sun shines and the day is fair, the flower floats like a tiny white boat on the water’s surface. It is fragrant to smell and lovely to look at. But when a storm threatens, it closes its petals over its golden heart. While rain falls and winds howl, the flower refuses to expose itself by withdrawing from turbulence and danger.

Many if us do the same thing. We find it easy to expose a good and gracious exterior when our surroundings are friendly. But when we are threatened by criticism or ridicule in the performance of some good and noble act, we withdraw to safety, refusing to open ourselves to opposition.

When Jesus went about helping, healing, and teaching, He was surrounded by a collection of critics who were bent on destroying Him. One Sabbath they thought they had their chance to do just that. He was in a synagogue and saw there a man with a shriveled hand. Jesus was stirred by the man’s plight and prepared to heal him. Standing about were some Pharisees, who were hoping Jesus would do something illegal and thus give them a reason for condemning Him. In this case, they were spying to see whether He would break the Jewish law by healing the man, for it was against the law to heal on the Sabbath. Jesus, aware of their threatening presence, did not waver in His intention to heal the man. ‘Stretch out your hand’, He said. The man did so and his hand was restored. Then the storm broke. The Pharisees had caught Jesus breaking the law; off they went to plot His death.

How much are we willing to dare in the service of others? We should not take for granted the approval of our acquaintances when we perform some service for those in need. We may be criticized, ridiculed, even slandered. Our motives may be discredited and our act belittled.

If in well-doing we stir up for ourselves a storm of abuse, let us not withdraw or seek to hide. Rather let us remember the Christ, who was surrounded by foes, but Who opened up His heart to those in trouble.

The coward retreats, but peril is often overpowered by those who boldy venture.

- Excerpt, Youth Devotions on the Jesus Who Was Different, by Walter L. Cook, Abingdon Press, 1973 -