day no. 12,988: there is a way to judge rightly‏

John 7:24

Stop judging according to outward appearances; rather judge according to righteous judgment.

 

The Pharisees saw Jesus doing something on the Sabbath and immediately cried, “Foul!” Jesus points out that even the Pharisees do stuff on the Sabbath sometimes, like when the 8^thday after the birth of a male child fell on the Sabbath for example.

 

Judge according to righteous judgment. Don’t be a hypocrite that condemns people for making exceptions to rules when you yourself find reason to make exceptions to rules. The Pharisees didn’t like that Jesus healed someone on the Sabbath.

 

In other places Jesus would point out other hypocrisies like when a sheep would fall into a ditch on the Sabbath and the Pharisees would help it escape certain peril.

 

All that to say, sometimes rules collide and you have to determine which rule overrules.

If the rules for my kids are have fun and be safe, sometimes those rules collide. It might be fun to jump off the piano, but it’s not safe. Guess which rules supersedes the other? Be safe.

 

Love God. Love People. These are the two greatest commandments. Remembering the Sabbath by keeping it holy was a commandment. In this instance, loving people in the Name of God to bring glory to Him is a greater rule than remember the Sabbath. One could even argue that making much of Jesus on the Sabbath is not only NOT a violation, but a direction application of remembering the Sabbath.

 

Either way, judge with righteous judgment, not merely what your gut would tell you.