March 18
Scripture of the day: "Jesus answered them, 'I did one deed, and you all marvel. For this reason Moses has given you circumcision (not because it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and on the Sabbath you circumcise a man. If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath so that the Law of Moses will not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made an entire man well on the Sabbath? Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.'" John 7:21-24
Thought of the day: The Jews began persecuting and seeking to kill Jesus because He healed a man on the Sabbath, John 5:16-18. The Jews performed circumcision on the eighth day even if it was on the Sabbath. If they would do that, how could they find fault with Jesus for healing an entire man? But they did. They legalistically applied the law based on their superficial perception rather than with righteous judgment. Jesus exposed their legalism.
Challenge of the day: Jesus never condoned sin. However, He often questioned the judgment and priorities of the legalists. He said to them, "You blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!" Matthew 23:24. The gnat was the one of the smallest unclean creatures in that part of the world ... and the camel was the largest. How are our priorities? Is our judgment superficial ... or is it righteous? Are we big on the small things ... and small on the big things? What are our gnats? And what are our camels?
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