Winston Churchill told the story...
Illustration
Object:
Winston Churchill told the story of a man who dived into a river to save a drowning child, only to have the mother complain later, “You didn’t save his hat.” Could anybody, especially a mother whose child was snatched from death’s arms, really be that insensitive? Yet, Churchill’s story does capture humanity’s ability to be blind and ungracious. Jesus had just fed the 5,000, stilled the storm, and healed the multitudes, all signs of the kingdom. Yet, the Pharisees traveled ninety miles from Jerusalem to confront Jesus with accusations of undermining everything holy, just because the disciples ate without washing their hands. For the Pharisees, handwashing was more than hygiene. It was a symbol of being clean before God. But righteousness does not come from keeping human regulations. Being clean before God comes by loving God and by practicing love of our neighbors.
