In Matthew 9, Jesus is doing all sorts of crazy things. Calling a tax collector as a disciple, eating with tax collectors and sinners - where the Pharisees could see Him, no less!
This is one of the places where we hear Jesus say, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick." But it is the next sentence that has been on my mind this week: "Go and learn what this means, ' I desire mercy, not sacrifice.'"
I'm working as a missionary, and it's hard sometimes. Kids get attitudes, there isn't enough food to hand out at distribution, I have to tell a woman for the twentieth time that you cannot have an action (a child doesn't have playing...your garden doesn't have dig). The thing that is probably the most frustrating, however, is when people I am close to do not understand how important it is that someone is there for my friends, and that I want to be there for them.
I can't imagine how much more effective churches would be if they could learn what it means for God to desire mercy, and not sacrifice.
Our understanding of the word sacrifice might be a little bit different than the first century Pharisees, but I imagine that to them, sacrifice was akin to being "right with God". We no longer give burnt offerings to God to pay for our sins, Christians believe that is why Jesus was here. But what is the point in Jesus' death if we are simply replacing animal sacrifices with other kinds of sacrifices and still neglecting the mercy part?
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