It is Lawful to do Good

Then he turned to his critics and asked, "Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?" But they wouldn't answer him.

Mark 3:4 [NIV]

Yesterday was my Sabbath – Saturday, the seventh day of the week.  I have observed this day from childhood, and it is a very special part of my life.  The church I was raised in has very strict rules for appropriate behavior on the Sabbath.  The Pharisees had the same tradition in Jesus’ time.  Neither group would have approved of what I did yesterday.

One of my voice students from the local high school where I teach has been nominated to attend Governor’s School this summer.  She was supposed to audition two weeks ago, but was on a mission trip to Guatemala.  She was rescheduled for last week, then rescheduled for today.  In the meantime, her accompanist [you have to bring your own] suddenly quit, and she could not find anyone who was willing to play the music [Messiah] or make the long drive to George Mason University.  So she contacted me.

I could have told her that I don’t do things like that on my Sabbath.  That would be standing up for the rules as well as “witnessing” about my day of worship.  That is, after all, the expected party line.  As I grow older, however, I find it harder and harder to spew forth the official policy.  What Would Jesus Do?  I’m not sure what He would have done in my circumstance, but I do know that He said it was “lawful” to do good on the Sabbath.  And someone needed to do this child a good deed and play for her audition.  So I did.

During the time we had to wait for her adjudication, we had a chance to talk about her interests in music.  She has been involved all her life in musical theater, but now is not certain she wants to go in that direction.  She knows that she does not want to be a classical singer.  She then shared a recent moment of conviction when she felt that God might be calling her to music ministry – as a worship leader, or a minister of music.  I had the opportunity to encourage her if she felt the Lord was calling her in that direction.  I started my own church ministry at the age of 14, as organist for a United Methodist Church in Phoenix.  I continue in that ministry to this day.  Would my young friend have opened up about her belief of a calling in another circumstance, such as school?  No, I don’t think so.  I was honored to share with her my own joy in musical ministry, and drove away from GMU with an assurance in my heart that I was in the right place at the right time.

Blessed Sabbath made for man,

Gift from the Creator’s hand.