John Stanko

"So, because Jesus was doing these
things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders
began to persecute him" - John 5:16.

Jesus was doing good on the Sabbath day and the Jews persecuted Him. They would prefer He did nothing rather than bring healing and help to people. Leaders are busy people and need their rest, but they also need to use their down time by doing good deeds for the poor and needy for which they do not get paid. This enables leaders to use their holiday and sabbath times to reconnect with their own humanity and to realize how blessed they are. By doing this, they put their leadership problems and position of authority in proper perspective so they don't get overly impressed with who they are!

LEADERSHIP STEP: What are you doing that can be called good deeds for which you do not get recognition or reward? Your Step today is to assess your work among the poor - no, giving money does not count - and consider how you can be personally involved with relieving the suffering and meeting the needs of the oppressed, just like Jesus did. This may involve a short-term missions trip or volunteering at a food bank, hospital or home for the elderly.