Deuteronomy 19:4-7 - This is the rule concerning anyone who
kills a person and flees there for safety—anyone who kills a neighbor
unintentionally, without malice aforethought. For
instance, a man may go into the forest with his neighbor to cut wood, and as he
swings his ax to fell a tree, the head may fly off and hit his neighbor and
kill him. That man may flee to one of these cities and save his life. Otherwise,
the avenger of blood might pursue him in a rage, overtake him if the
distance is too great, and kill him even though he is not deserving of death,
since he did it to his neighbor without malice aforethought. This is why I
command you to set aside for yourselves three cities.
Moses reminded the people that God wanted them to strategically
place up to 6 cities of refuge within the borders of the land he was giving
them. God knew there would be accidental
deaths among them…and those who missed these loved ones would want to seek
revenge on the ones who caused the deaths. These cities would be places where
one could run and be protected until the avengers had stopped threatening their
life.
In the same chapter is a reminder that anyone found to cause
deaths with any forethought…should be put to death as a punishment. Following
those instructions is the familiar verse that says…Show no pity: life for life,
eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot. But later on in Matthew
5:38-39…Jesus told them the fulfilled meaning of this law. He said… “You have
heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you not to
resist an evil person. If someone slaps you on your right cheek, turn to him
the other also.”
I am so glad that Jesus fulfilled this Old Testament law
with his death on the cross. All the eyes…feet….hands and hearts that broke
this law or ever will break this law….were redeemed in that moment that Jesus
sacrificed his perfect life for all
sins. We no longer have to judge whether anything is a sin…that is God’s job. And
we can be comforted by the fact that very life taken in error or with evil forethought
will be given a new…body to live in Heaven…glorifying God and basking in his
glory for eternity.
My only job is to love everyone…no matter what. Yes…I admit
that this is hard. One has to view all
people alike…even the most evil hearts that we see committing the most recent heinous
sins against completely innocent people. One has to rid themselves of all our
own perceptions…and clothe our hearts with God’s perfect view of any heart that
was created.
In truth…Jesus was the only one to ever do this. The rest of us get it once in a while…when it
is easy for us…or when one of our own family is involved…or sometimes when God
just gives us a passion for one soul that he knows can be transformed with the
love we can give them…God’s perfect love.
I know in my heart that responding to these evils with hate
and malleus is only making it worse.
Hate is multiplied…and the evil is given more territory to spread its
destruction. I needed the reminder that my response to all evil acts that I perceive
as sin…must be to show so much love of god that the evil will run from this
flooded area of God’s light. Evil can’t
handle this holy presence of God…the Bible says in many places that demons were
cast out in Jesus name.
Father…thank you for the reminder that love will someday triumph
over the evils God allows to manifest in the earthly world. Forgive for the times that I do not do my
part in helping God conquer evil by loving all others no matter what my earthly
heart tells me. Help me to find the
strength …courage…and wisdom to show your love in all situations to all
people. Amen.
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