One day of rest, while Jesus was walking through some fields, His disciples picked some heads of grain and ate them.

Some religious leaders said, “Why are they breaking the law by harvesting grain on the day of rest?”

It’s fascinating to highlight what Jesus sees versus what radical people see in the same situation: The Lord saw His hungry disciples, which is why they picked the heads of grain.

It was better to preserve life than to observe the day of rest. In contrast, the radical religious leaders, lacking compassion, focused solely on ensuring the rules were followed, disregarding love, integrity, and well-being.

How much we need to see as Jesus sees and remember His words: “What I desire is mercy, not sacrifice. Do not condemn the innocent.”

Many people end up turning away from God, not because they have something against the Creator, but because of the poor image we, His followers, give them, lacking love and frantically clinging to institutional rules in form rather than substance.

Let us commit to being filled with the love of Jesus and stop harshly judging people. God’s mercy is greater than all our rules and prejudices. When we understand this, we will see people come to the feet of the Savior with confidence and hope.