Taking Action

Have you ever felt you missed an opportunity to do something positive for someone?

Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. And just then there appeared a woman with a spirit that had crippled her for eighteen years. She was bent over and was quite unable to stand up straight. When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, "Woman, you are set free from your ailment." When he laid his hands on her, immediately she stood up straight and began praising God. But the leader of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had cured on the sabbath, kept saying to the crowd, "There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be cured, and not on the sabbath day." But the Lord answered him and said, "You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger, and lead it away to give it water? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen long years, be set free from this bondage on the sabbath day?" When he said this, all his opponents were put to shame; and the entire crowd was rejoicing at all the wonderful things that he was doing. - Luke 13:10-17

The synagogue leader thought another day would be better for helping the woman.  Should she have gone home and come back the next day?

I am sure we have all done it, passed by someone asking for money.  

It could be someone in need for themselves or someone collecting to fight cancer, and we just walk by without thinking.

Later, we may stop and look back, feeling that we should have given something, even a dollar.

Do we go back, or do we feel foolish and go on our way?

When the opportunity arises, we should take action, not at some later time.  We will forget to go back, or we will feel awkward, as though someone is watching us and judging us.

Jesus didn't hesitate.  He took action when needed, regardless of what others thought about it.

I can't help but think of all the missed opportunities for this woman who had suffered for eighteen years.

Chances are she would come to the synagogue often, but the leader would do nothing because it was the sabbath. Not that the leader could heal her.  That is another point.  Only Jesus offered that option.

Imagine how the woman felt when he cured her.  For all those years, no one helped her, and now, one person cared enough to break the rules and cure her.

There is a time for taking action.  It is when the opportunity arises, not when it is convenient.

Shame on us for not doing what we can.

More to come...