During my daily Bible study, I was looking at Luke 13:10-17. You can sum up the entire passage with one word: compassion. It really hit home with me. Let’s explore it together.
Jesus Heals A Crippled Woman
On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. When Jesus saw her, he called her forward…
In those days traveling rabbis were often invited to teach in synagogues. Jesus was no exception. He’s going through his routine, speaking to the crowd, when he sees this woman. I’m not sure where she was at exactly, Orthodox Jews today have the women and men separated, so she may have been on the fringes.
Two things: he interrupted his routine for her, and he saw her. Consider this, do we like having our routines disrupted by anything? I don’t.
He saw her. How well do we see people? Not with 20/20 vision for sure. They’re more like objects moving around rather than real people.
Imagine, you’re there, hurting, and Jesus locked eyes with you, calling you forward. He stops 
everything for you, like he did her.
If I was a preacher, I would do an altar call right now. Why not, would you give your heart to Jesus and follow him for the rest of your life?
Continuing…
…and said to her, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.” Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God.
Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue leader said to the people, “There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath.”
That guy was a real sweetheart. It was a common topic among rabbis during those days to figure out just how far and when you can help someone. Generally if they were dying, yes; if not, well, there are six other days. That was the tradition.
Jesus didn’t care about their traditions. He wrote that commandment way back on Sinai, he knows its true meaning. Jesus put people over tradition.
He saw a need, and addressed it immediately without any second guessing.
Then he laid into the heartless leader.
The Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Doesn’t each of you on the Sabbath untie your ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water? Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?”
When he said this, all his opponents were humiliated, but the people were delighted with all the wonderful things he was doing.
What’s This Mean For Us?
Spiritually, we are like the woman, hurting, and he will help us…if we come forward to him.
In our daily lives, like him, make the habit to look at people rather than through them. Be ready to stop and help them should you notice anything. For me it means putting my mind on mute so I’m not second guessing myself. To be present.
What did you notice in the passage? What are your takeaways?
A Ronin's Journey 