Feb 27 - Lenten Devotional

"But some of the Pharisees said, 'Why are you doing what is not lawful on the sabbath?'" (Luke 6:2)

"On another Sabbath... the scribes and the Pharisees watched him to see whether he would cure on the Sabbath, so that they might find an accusation against him." (Luke 6:7)


Okay so a few days ago we talked about the "great misunderstanding of discipleship" as being us thinking we were not "good enough" to be disciples, as if discipleship had prerequisites other than the willingness to follow. We'll call that the sin of not rising to our calling. The sin on the other side of that is one of pride and judgment. Not misunderstanding... but actually claiming a TOO MUCH understanding.

I'll be the first to admit that its difficult to find the line between accountability and judgment... prophetic preaching and presumptuous speech. The Pharisees are trying to find a faithful way to keep their identity as God's people and lead others in that way. They have good intentions. Somewhere along the line however they began to assume that the faithful way they found was the ONLY way... that faithfulness necessarily looked like their lives. The rules they had formed for finding God's way and staying on the way had actually become more important (or at the least just as important) as the way itself.

As we are called to discipleship we are called to attend to the way we follow Jesus... that we are cultivating a life and character like Jesus. However we must take care as well that while we are called to encourage others to join us on the way - the way is God's and not ours. There may well be many ways to follow Christ that look and feel different than our own journey - but that doesn't make them wrong, a fact that Jesus has to consistently remind the Pharisees, the scribes, the crowds... and even his own disciples.

As you follow Christ are you making sure not to mistake rules, guides, and markers for the actual way?

Are you attentive to the new and creative ways God may be calling you to live outside your expectations?

Are you encouraging others to discipleship, but leaving God the freedom to call them to live that journey in their own way


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Unbound God - your ways are not our ways. Remind us that you are at work in the world in ways beyond our imagining. As we seek to respond to your calling and learn to follow you and your way help us to be open to the movement of your spirit in our lives. Amen.