Friday, September 5, 2014

~ "Food for thought..."

"Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself: I am the Lord." (Lev 19:18)

Leviticus is not one of my regular reads in the Bible.  It is, however, read and quoted by many, often inaccurately.  Interpreting God's Word requires one to read all of it, not just one chapters, and more specifically, not just one verse.

This particular verse reminds us early on that we are not to judge others, that we are to love one another as we love ourselves.  We are told about love 314 times, so it must be important.  God's Word defines for us the sins that are displeasing to him, and the course of action to be taken (which is to be repentant of our sins).  It is not our place to judge the sins or repentance of others.  We are responsible for sharing God's Word, not enforcing it.

Take a moment and ask yourself if you are truly sharing the love God asks us to share.  Am I a hypocrite or a Christian?  Do I accept that we all sin differently or do I consider my sins less offensive than the sins of others simply because I attend church or read my Bible?  Instead of pointing the finger or condemnation today, try to point the finger of love!