12:11-12 "He said to them, 'If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.' "
Jesus is rebuking the Pharisees whose ministry and traditions created such a feeling of piety that they couldn't see the good works that God intended them to perform in His name. This is the second time Christ reminded them of God's intention for our hearts in the verse "I desire mercy, no sacrifice". Knee-jerk obedience means nothing if the heart is not involved.
I was trying to think of a current day example of how I might commit this same sin. Do I ever become so wrapped up in ministry that I don't see the good works God has prepared for me in eternity past? When I took over (was volunteered to take over) the Christmas choir, I had been involved in it for quite some time. I had a feeling that there was an air of professionalism that, while useful to spur on the quality of the program, it was discouraging brothers and sisters who wanted to worship God in song, but didn't feel like they were good enough. It's taken me a while to get the hang of choir director (and I'm still not anywhere near perfect), but each year, I try to convey that we need people willing to serve, not professional singers. Understanding that some people will never come forward just because of the professional stigma surrounding the idea of a choir, I started the caroling program to hopefully give an outlet to those who felt they weren't "good enough" for the choir. In either case, how well we sing is not the real issue. We glorify God in sacrificing our time and talents to His will.
Lord, help me to keep seeking Your will, even when I think I'm already in it. Help me to not supplant Your will with my own. Help me to serve where you want me to serve.
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