The Birthing of a New Community
Freedom in Christ
Leviticus 19:13-18. The Message
13 “Don’t exploit your friend or rob him.“Don’t hold back the wages of a hired hand overnight.
14 “Don’t curse the deaf; don’t put a stumbling block in front of the blind; fear your God. I am God.
15 “Don’t pervert justice. Don’t show favoritism to either the poor or the great. Judge on the basis of what is right.
16 “Don’t spread gossip and rumors.
“Don’t just stand by when your neighbor’s life is in danger. I am God.
17 “Don’t secretly hate your neighbor. If you have something against him, get it out into the open; otherwise you are an accomplice in his guilt.
18 “Don’t seek revenge or carry a grudge against any of your people.
“Love your neighbor as yourself. I am God.
For Reflection
To react defensively is a knee jerk response. We normally have to fight the tendency to have a negative rather than a reasoned response as a first reaction. We often tend to demonize the people with whom we disagree. Somehow it seems easier to see people in a single dimension which is identified with an idea or action with which we disagree. But, people with whom we disagree are not always evil, because they advocate an alternative to what we may.
It is important that we judge. But human judgment is unwise without God as the basis. That we rush to retaliatory action against those with whom we disagree is equally unwise.
There are lots of "don'ts" in these passages that warn us of retributive action. However, all of the warnings boil down to only affirmative action, "Love your neighbor as yourself." From this perspective, you will always find a creative solution to the disagreement.
Pray
To react defensively is a knee jerk response. We normally have to fight the tendency to have a negative rather than a reasoned response as a first reaction. We often tend to demonize the people with whom we disagree. Somehow it seems easier to see people in a single dimension which is identified with an idea or action with which we disagree. But, people with whom we disagree are not always evil, because they advocate an alternative to what we may.
It is important that we judge. But human judgment is unwise without God as the basis. That we rush to retaliatory action against those with whom we disagree is equally unwise.
There are lots of "don'ts" in these passages that warn us of retributive action. However, all of the warnings boil down to only affirmative action, "Love your neighbor as yourself." From this perspective, you will always find a creative solution to the disagreement.
Pray
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