"Get up", 

Jesus told him, 

"pick up your mat and walk." 

Instantly 

the man got well, 

picked up his mat, and started to walk. 

Now that day was the Sabbath,  

and so the Jews said to the man who had been healed, 

"This is the Sabbath. The law prohibits you from picking up your mat."

John 5:8-10 CSB

Did Jesus tell our guy to pick up his mat just to annoy the Jewish leaders?

They certainly got annoyed. Our guys action of packing up his bedding showed up the heart of the people around him. They were more concerned about their system, their rules, than they were about the person.

Where's the "wow! What happened to you? 

This is awesome that you're walking!!"

Maybe I haven't said it out loud, but my heart is betrayed when people might behave a bit outside the norm, look different...don't come to church like that...and I've lost sight of the person.

Lost sight of their hurts, struggles, history, fears, hopes...

When our reputation, our institution/church, even our family name becomes more important than the people in it, something needs to be dismantled. 

With Jesus it was the people first. 

#lovepeople