Have you ever thought about how your day actually progresses?  It does so by choice.  It’s often been said that time waits for no man.  While the essence of that statement is true, time never stops. Time does not; however, drive progression for those in its grip.

Wait Colby, what are you getting at?  Time only progresses itself.  We can choose to stay still meaning we would not progress physically.  There are unchosen consequences of times progression such as age but there’s no control for that.  For us to progress in our lives requires us to make choices.  Time does not dictate who we are but what we do with it does.  We are creatures of choice.  Let me give an example.

When we wake in the morning we start making choices that dictate what needs to happen next.  Most of us don’t even realize we’re doing it.  Do I want to get out of bed?  Is it cold or hot?  Sweater or tee shirt, shorts or pants?  If I go out do I need rain gear or a coat?  Do I need to get in the closet or will that shirt from my wearable laundry pile work?  What should I eat?  The list goes on all day.

In our text today there is a question about a choice we need to make and what I believe is a pointer to who we are to be in Christ.  Let’s take a look.

Mark 3:1-6 CSB
[1] Jesus entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a shriveled hand. [2] In order to accuse him, they were watching him closely to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath. [3] He told the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand before us.” [4] Then he said to them, “Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. [5] After looking around at them with anger, he was grieved at the hardness of their hearts and told the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out, and his hand was restored. [6] Immediately the Pharisees went out and started plotting with the Herodians against him, how they might kill him.

There is a lot in this story and we will camp out here for another week or two for sure.  Today though I want to look at vs. 4 and 5.

Vs. 4 poses a question.  Do good or evil, save or kill on the Sabbath.  We will address the question of Sabbath in the coming weeks but I think there is a call for us to recognize here first.

Vs. 5 gives us what our answer should be.

Let’s face it if we can’t answer the question of good or evil, save or kill readily with good and save, we may have a problem with our thinking.  The answer is obvious.  But there is a call to recognize that we need to choose.  In vs. 5.  Jesus restores the man’s hand.  That was the only course of action that made sense. 

Do we choose to have compassion?

Do we choose what is right?

Do we choose to be silent?

I don’t want a hard heart to grieve Jesus.  We are called to do what is right, to have compassion, and to do so without delay.  It should be one of those choices that we don’t even realize we’re making.  A choice for the glory of God. 

What will you choose today?

Love in Christ,

Colby