Isa 42:3

Isa 42:3  A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.  Isaiah 42 introduces to us the Servant of the LORD. From the passage that describes the character and works of the Servant, we can deduce that the Servant is none other than Christ the Lord. Matthew quotes Isaiah 42:1-5 and plainly says it is a prophecy fulfilled in Jesus (Matthew 12:16-21). Jesus described Himself as a servant in Mark 10:45 (ESV). The gentleness and meekness of character of Jesus are portrayed beautifully in this verse: “A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth” (v.3). A “bruised reed” is a branch that is almost crush or broken off from its trunk. He will not carry on the work of destruction and entirely break it. A “smoking flax” describes the wick of a lamp when the oil has been all burnt away from it, and nothing is left but a mere smoke with a little trace of fire left. Christ will not extinguish it. A “bruised reed” is one who is broken in spirit; he is weak. He is even dying; like a fire that is about to be extinguished. What will some do to that broken branch and little dim of light? They might snap the branch off and throw it away. They might stamp on that smoked flax and extinguish the fire. It is exactly how some treat the weak in society with disgust; they think they should be terminated. When you fall and suffer a broken arm; do you chop off that arm from your body? Of course you won’t. You will see a doctor and nurse back your arm. You want to be healed from that fracture. I’m sure you have been to a barbecue. What will you do if the fire is getting low and you aren’t finished with your barbecuing? Do you add water to the coals? Of course you won’t; you add more coals. You add fuel to keep the fire burning. You want that little fire to brighten up again. Christ will heal a broken heart. He will raise a dying spirit. He will not cast off that broken branch. He will tend to it and nurse it. He came to heal the broken heart (Luke 4:18). He will also not extinguish a smoking lamp. He will strengthen that little fire and cause it to burn again. He says He is the Light of the world. He says those that follow Him shall have the light of life (John 8:12). The apostle Peter was a smoking flax after he denied Christ. Christ did not write him off as worthless and good for nothing. Instead, He said to Peter: “But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren” (Luke 22:32). Christ prayed for Peter. Peter was restored and became a lamp that burned more brightly than ever.                                                                             A priest and a Levite saw a dying man and passed him by (Luke 10:31, 32). Have you been guilty of doing the same too? Have you cared for a sick brother or sister in the church? Have you strengthened a brother or a sister who is weak in his/her faith restored him/her back to God? In the eyes of the Lord, the test of the real servant is: Does he show compassion over a bruised reed and smoking flax? “Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me”  (Matthew 25:44, 45). Our Lord is meek and lowly in heart (Matthew 11:29). He is full of compassion for the poor and weak. He will never cast them out. He will care for them and nurse them. Will you heal a bruised reed and fan a smoking flax?