The Message
I feel sorry for the Pharisees. They'd been reduced to watching every move of Jesus, hoping they could ensnare him in some wrong move or word, using this as a catalyst to have him thrown from the community. It's not a great way to live -- doing nothing but watching your enemy in a chance you can catch them in the wrong and evict them from your life.
Instead, think of how Jesus lives. He meets freely with enemies and casual acquaintances. He doesn't show up with an attitude to condemn, but rather is usually inviting the stranger into a new relationship, defined by grace. The future is possibility, not eviction.
When you go into the world, do you do so with hope in your heart? When you encounter others, are you looking for common ground, for a place where you might encourage one another? Or are you watching the actions of the other, waiting to ensnare them in their words, looking for an opportunity to prove that they are wrong and you are right?
It's way more fun to be right than wrong. I get that. But to live one's life with the sole focus on finding fault in others is surely exhausting, and it tears down community. Let us hold each other accountable, and always seek the Truth, but may we do so with grace in our words and our hearts, always looking for a way to build bridges between communities, humbly extending a hand and inviting others to the table to break bread and be transformed by what God does between us.
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