Jesus broke the law. He did. He broke the Sabbath law. Plucking grain was considered harvesting. Removing the husks and kernels was considered threshing. Blowing the husks and silk away was winnowing; all three actions were prohibited on Saturday.

The Pharisees were right to ask, “Look, why are you doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” David reminded them of a time when David and his troops were hungry and were allowed to eat consecrated bread from the temple by Abiathar the priest. He explained that “The Sabbath was made for humankind, and not humankind for the Sabbath.”

Many years ago when I was an associate pastor, the church I served had a rule that the circle drive on the back side of the building was for loading and unloading only. One day the street just beyond that driveway flooded in a pouring rain. A wonderful person named “Ms. Blessing” happened to be volunteering at the church that day. As the street became a raging river, she kept having to move her car farther and farther up the circle drive.

Eventually, after parking her car as high on the arc of the circle as possible, Ms. Blessing came into the church office to tell us of her narrow escape from a flooded car. The senior pastor listened and then told her, “The circle drive is for loading and unloading only.”

Sigh...

Rules and regs. We need them, I suppose. But only as they serve to protect, nurture, and help humanity.