Under Investigation

Luke 14:1-6
Now it happened, as He went into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath, that they watched Him closely. 2 And behold, there was a certain man before Him who had dropsy. 3 And Jesus, answering, spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”
4 But they kept silent. And He took him and healed him, and let him go. 5 Then He answered them, saying, “Which of you, having a donkey or an ox that has fallen into a pit, will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?” 6 And they could not answer Him regarding these things.

Dear Jesus,

You lived Your life and ministry under constant scrutiny.  Everybody felt they had the right to have an opinion of You.  The grace and dignity with which You conducted Yourself under that kind of scrutiny is challenging to me.  I don't have that grace, but I know I need it.  Help me to be like You when under investigation.

The Gospels tell of seven incidents when You healed on the Sabbath:  Simon Peter's mother-in-law (Luke 4:38), the man with the withered hand (Luke 6:6), the bent woman (Luke 13:14), the sick man at the Pharisee's Sabbath banquet (Luke 14:1-6), the paralyzed man at the pool of Bethesda (John 5:9), the man born blind (John 9:14), and the demon-possessed man at the Capernaum synagogue (Mark 1:12). 

Who knows how many of these incidents were setups?  Were the needy just plants?  Who knows how many of the genuinely sick people were duped into being present just to entrap You? 

Certainly  You knew!  Yet You healed all comers.

I admire Your love and persistence when You were scrutinized and under investigation by the legal and religious authorities. You were their number one "Person of Interest."  You were the chief suspect.  You were "Enemy number one."  Yet, You never deterred in Your display of holy love.

William Barclay observed:  "There is nothing more trying than to be under constant and critical scrutiny. When that happens to most people they lose their nerve and, even more often, lose their temper. They become irritable; and while there may be greater sins than irritability there is none that causes more pain and heartbreak. But even in things which would have broken most men's spirit, Jesus remained serene. If we live with him, he can make us like himself" (In The Gospel of Luke, 1953, p. 194).

Perhaps someone I know is feeling this scrutiny from a spouse, a workplace, or a church family.  Grant them courage to radiate Your Presence without being irritable or defensive.

Grant me Your character in those moments when I am scrutinized, criticized, and evaluated.  Strengthen my resolve to do Your will.  Protect me from irritability and defensiveness.  Help me to have my heart, mind, and actions stirred by the need around me, regardless of the opposition I may face.  Help me to act in a spirit of perfect love to the needy, whether they come to me for help or to oppose me. 

In the Name of my Lord Jesus who went to the cross to save me,
Amen.