May the mumbling commence!
We are set-apart. We are holy to the Lord. But, how do we live this holiness? Read from the beginning of Leviticus chapter nineteen:
The Lord also said to Moses, "Say this to the entire community of Israel: You must be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy. Each of you must show respect for your mother and father, and you must always observe my Sabbath days of rest, for I, the Lord, am your God. Do not put your trust in idols or make gods of metal for yourselves. I, the Lord, am your God.
When you sacrifice a peace offering to the Lord, offer it properly so it will be accepted on your behalf. You must eat it on the same day you offer it or on the next day at the latest. Any leftovers that remain until the third day must be burned. If any of the offering is eaten on the third day, it will be contaminated, and I will not accept it. If you eat it on the third day, you will answer for the sin of profaning what is holy to the Lord and must be cut off from the community.
When you harvest your crops, do not harvest the grain along the edges of your fields, and do not pick up what the harvesters drop. It is the same with your grape crop – do not strip every last bunch of grapes from the vines, and do not pick up the grapes that fall to the ground. Leave them for the poor and the foreigners who live among you, for I, the Lord, am your God.” (Verses 1-10)
The basis for our holiness is the Lord. Our model for holiness is the Lord. And that means following the Law of the Lord.
Respect your parents. Observe the Sabbath. Neither trust nor make idols. Offer sacrifices properly. Know that when working to advance ourselves that we are not to miserly keep all the bounty to ourselves. That bounty is a blessing from God. The first fruits are offered to God, and the gleanings – those things left behind – belong to the vulnerable.
In other words, our joy bursts forth to the Lord, and our lack of economy benefits the most vulnerable people in our midst.
Yet there is a long list of commands. They can be overwhelming. Is there one that is the most important? It was a question often asked. Indeed it was asked to Jesus. Read from Mark chapter twelve:
One of the teachers of religious law was standing there listening to the discussion. He realized that Jesus had answered well, so he asked, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?"
Jesus replied, "The most important commandment is this: 'Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.' The second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' No other commandment is greater than these." (Verses 28-31)
Love God with everything that you have, and love your neighbor as yourself. IF we do these things, everything else will take care of itself. Everything else will take care of itself including things that seem dubious. Read from earlier in Mark chapter twelve:
The leaders sent some Pharisees and supporters of Herod to try to trap Jesus into saying something for which he could be arrested. "Teacher," these men said, "we know how honest you are. You are impartial and don't play favorites. You sincerely teach the ways of God. Now tell us – is it right to pay taxes to the Roman government or not? Should we pay them, or should we not?"
Jesus saw through their hypocrisy and said, "Whom are you trying to fool with your trick questions? Show me a Roman coin, and I'll tell you." When they handed it to him, he asked, "Whose picture and title are stamped on it?"
"Caesar's," they replied.
"Well, then," Jesus said, "give to Caesar what belongs to him. But everything that belongs to God must be given to God." This reply completely amazed them. (Verses 13-17)
Reject and return the idol of the Roman coin. Give everything else (what belongs to God) to God. What a way to underscore the importance – the preeminence – of worshiping the Lord God before all else!
Enough mumbling for now…
Peace Out
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