Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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Accept the Differences in God's Creation


Rev. Shinoi Joseph
Long Island MTC, NY

13 You shall not defraud your neighbor; you shall not steal; and you shall not keep for yourself the wages of a laborer until morning. 14 You shall not revile the deaf or put a stumbling block before the blind; you shall fear your God: I am the Lord.


The Theme for today’s devotion is “Accepting the difference in God’s creation.” The passage assigned is very apt. The Book of Leviticus has a special importance in the Bible as this book reveals what is holy and what is profane in God. The book calls upon the believers to “Be holy, for I am holy (11:44-45, 19:2, 20:26.). As God himself is the giver of all these instructions therefore these are the divine word for God’s people.

Leviticus 19 focuses on how one should live and behave in his/her society.  Here social ethics is the main focus. The Chapter starts with “And the Lord spoke to Moses saying” (v.1). God is asking his people to learn how his/her attitude should be towards people in the society. God is seriously concerned about our actions and behavior in our society. These verses in a way are the explanation of the 10 commandments. Based on verse 13 and 14, let us meditate on two main points
 

  1. Do not oppress others
Our behavior and attitudes reflects what we are and who we are. The God’s commandment is “You shall not oppress your neighbor or rob him.” Either by force or through cunning one should not oppress others. In no way one should take advantage over his neighbor. God commands us to love them (Mt 22:37; Mk 12:30, 31). In relation to one’s attitude towards a hired laborer, the Bible says, “Wages of a hired servant shall not remain with you all night until the morning.” The wage for a laborer is the support of the man’s life and his family. One should not take his support for living. Keeping one’s wage is to deny his livelihood.
 
  1. Accept and respect others
“One shall not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block before the blind.” This verse enable us to understand as what shall be our attitude towards differently abled/ physically challenged. The word of God tells us that we have to accept and respect these people. They shall never be look down at nor should we create any sort of hindrance to them in their growth or way. Reverence to God means accepting and respecting God’s people and creation. The fear of God should keep us from doing wrong towards others. Doing wrong to others is doing wrong to God; cursing others is cursing God who created them. Obstructing others is obstructing God. Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me” (Mt. 25:40). The Christian formulae is “Loving God’s creation is loving God.” Jesus said, “You therefore must be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Mt. 5: 48). Let our actions and attitudes reveal that we are God’s people.

PRAYER

Dear God enable me to have compassion and love for the least, lost and the afflicted in the society as I see in the life of Jesus the Christ. Amen

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
“Truly I say to you as you did not do it to one of my least of these, you did not do it to me.” Mt. 25:26

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