Exodus 23:1-5 - "You shall not utter a false report.
You shall not join hands with a wicked man, to be a malicious witness. You
shall not follow a multitude to do evil; nor shall you bear witness in a suit,
turning aside after a multitude, so as to pervert justice; nor shall
you be partial to a poor man in his suit."If you meet your enemy's ox or
his ass going astray, you shall bring it back to him. If you see the
ass of one who hates you lying under its burden, you shall refrain from leaving
him with it, you shall help him to lift it up.
The ninth commandment must have needed some extra
explaining. Moses gets really detailed
with just what this ‘false witness’ thing was…and then he explains why we have
all those other commandments …that this love God more than you love anything
else should trickle down into everything else we do. He wanted us to understand
who our neighbor is …basically…. everyone we know…not just the people we like
and hang out with.
God gave Moses these
rules to make sure that we keep our mouth shut when we don’t know what we are
talking about….to make sure what we say is not a lie….to make sure that we
consider our friends motives before we join in their activities….and to treat
all people the same…even the ones that we have a hard time loving. We should
all be ‘good Samaritans’ ….people that spread God’s love to all people in need….no
matter what he calls us to do.
Easier said than done…of course! And as I write this I am
sure that God is up there in Heaven…or looking over my shoulder…lining up all
the people I have a hard time with …to meet up with me sometime today. He knows
that I will need some practice on this one to get it right. I can say that I
love everyone…and will treat them all the same….but do my actions truly show
that to everyone? I am woman enough to admit that I don’t always get this one
right…and I don’t always trust God’s covering when he asks me to do something
that seems a little less safe.
It is easy to hand some beggar a ten dollar bill out the
window….put my left over yard sale stuff in the bin at the good will store….write
a kind word into a post on facebook every morning. But how will I treat that next person that
God puts right in front of my face…that might not be my best friend…that might
be someone I had a hard time with before….someone that did something even
hurtful to me. I will sure need to stop and ask him to fill me with his words….and
show me what to do. I hope I don’t lie ….and make an excuse….to sideswipe the
situation. I hope I don’t pass by on the other side…as I have done in the past.
Oh father…I need your help to love others more. Help me to
keep hurtful…judging words from ever leaving my brain. Help me to think only kind things….loving
words that will build up others to know your great love. Help me to always speak
the truth in love. Father…I ask you to strength me and give me discernment in
all the things I am asked to participate in.
Guide me to do only the things that you have ordained as good and worthy
of your love. Help me to pick friends that will help me spend my time doing
wholesome things that speak of your love.
Help me to trust you more…and stop and ask you for help when I meet up
with something I don’t trust….or with someone who has hurt me. Help me to be filled with your love and mercy
and great forgiveness….and use your strength to bring about healing. Amen.
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