6 - Priorities

Luke 13
10. Now He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath.
11. And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up. 12. But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, "Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity."
13. And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.
14. But the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath; and he said to the crowd, "There are six days on which men ought to work; therefore come and be healed on them, and not on the Sabbath day."
15. The Lord then answered him and said, "Hypocrite! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or his donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it?
16. "So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound think of it for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?
17. And when He said these things, all His adversaries were put to shame; and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him.
New King James Bible

At the end of this age the Lord Jesus is going to be our judge. This incident in His earthly ministry gives us an idea of His judging standards.

First, He had no sympathy for the religious priorities of the ruler of the synagogue. He almost accused the ruler of having more understanding for a valuable working animal than for a fellow human being who was in need.

This challenging of religious priorities was a hallmark of Jesus' earthly ministry. He believed that people were always more important than religious observance. For Jesus, people were top priority.

Is that how you regard people?
And, more than that, do you understand that you are top priority to Jesus? Do you understand that your life is important to Him?

In addition to being free from the spirit of infirmity and being physically restored to health, this woman was also now free to be important to God and fit in with His purpose for her life.
Praise God!

Prayer:
Father, thank You that Jesus was not afraid of upsetting prevailing opinions and priorities and showing us the way You regard people - even those we might consider less important.
Please help me to line up my priorities with Yours, so that I will look at life from Your point of view,
and direct my life into Your purpose,
in Jesus' name,
Amen.