May the mumbling commence!
We have choices to make.
May we choose wisely, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit. If we do follow the lead of the Spirit, great
things can happen. If we choose to
follow our own inclinations and way, eventually we will stray far from the Way
of the Lord. Do you want an example? Read this disturbing passage from Judges
chapter nineteen:
While they were enjoying
themselves, some of the wicked men in the town surrounded the house. They began
beating at the door and shouting to the old man, "Bring out the man who is staying with you so we can have sex with
him."
The old man stepped outside to
talk to them. "No,
my brothers, don't do such an evil thing. For this man is my guest, and such a
thing would be shameful. Here, take my virgin
daughter and this man's concubine. I will bring them out to you, and you can do whatever
you like to them. But don't do such a shameful thing to this man."
But they wouldn't listen to him. Then the Levite took his concubine and
pushed her out the door. The men of the
town abused her all night, taking turns raping her until morning. Finally,
at dawn, they let her go. At daybreak
the woman returned to the house where her husband was staying. She collapsed at
the door of the house and lay there until it was light.
When her husband opened the door to leave,
he found her there. She was lying face down, with her hands on the
threshold. He said, "Get up! Let's
go!" But there was no answer. So he put her body on his donkey and took
her home.
When he got home, he took a knife and cut
his concubine's body into twelve pieces. Then he sent one piece to each tribe of Israel. Everyone who saw it said, "Such a
horrible crime has not been committed since Israel left Egypt. Shouldn't we
speak up and do something about this?" (Verses 22-30)
Just about any angle you can come from, this passage is
disturbing. Just prior to this passage,
the people of Gibeah refused shelter to a stranger in town. We may not think much of it, but it was to
leave a vulnerable people to the wiles of the most degraded in town. It was a foreigner who was living in town
that gave them shelter.
Then heap on top of that neglect the fact that they
wanted to rape the man who was passing through town. They afforded him no protection and sought to
take advantage of a vulnerable man. It’s
disturbing, indeed.
But look how the man
who gave the strangers shelter answered them.
He offered them his virgin daughter and the visitor’s concubine. He was willing to give unto them the most
vulnerable people in his household at the time.
And look at how the Levite acted.
He pushed his concubine out the door – where she was raped until she was
near death. What a horrible thing for
each party to have done!
Then, the
Levite threw her on the donkey like a sack of potatoes. When he got home with her, he cut her up like
an animal sacrifice.
How far we can wander one step at a time! But we can choose otherwise. Look how Boaz went above and beyond the call
of duty to protect someone so vulnerable.
Read from Ruth chapter two:
Boaz went over and said to
Ruth, "Listen, my daughter. Stay right here
with us when you gather grain; don't go to any other fields. Stay right behind
the women working in my field. See which
part of the field they are harvesting, and then follow them. I have warned the
young men not to bother you. And when you are thirsty, help yourself to the
water they have drawn from the well."
Ruth fell at his feet and
thanked him warmly. "Why are you being so kind to me?" she asked.
"I am only a foreigner."
"Yes, I know," Boaz
replied. "But I also know about the love and
kindness you have shown your mother-in-law since the death of your husband. I
have heard how you left your father and mother and your own land to live here
among complete strangers.
May
the Lord, the God of Israel, under
whose wings you have come to take refuge, reward you fully."
"I hope I continue to please you, sir," she replied. "You have
comforted me by speaking so kindly to me, even though I am not as worthy as your workers."
At lunchtime Boaz called to
her, "Come over here and help yourself to some of our
food. You can dip your bread in the wine if you like." So she sat with his
harvesters, and Boaz gave her food – more than she could eat.
When Ruth went back to work
again, Boaz ordered his young men, "Let her
gather grain right among the sheaves without stopping her. And pull out some heads of barley from the
bundles and drop them on purpose for her. Let her pick them up, and don't give
her a hard time!" (Verses 8-16)
The Lord’s Law calls for owners of fields and vineyards
to allow the leavings for the poor and vulnerable to glean. Boaz far exceeded this law. He gave her food to eat and ordered his servants
to leave behind extra for her to gather.
He even ordered his servants to not give her a hard time.
And great things came from it. We will look into that tomorrow.
Enough mumbling for now…
Peace Out
No comments:
Post a Comment