pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: voiceless


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Love Them As Yourself

Reading: Leviticus 19:33-37

Leviticus 19:33-34: “When immigrants live in your land with you, you must not cheat them… You must love them as yourself.”

Photo credit: Wylly Suhendra

Leviticus 19 is titled “Living as Holy People” in my study Bible. The chapter is centered on the ethics of holiness and love and is grounded in God’s statement found in verse 2: “You must be holy, because I, the Lord your God, am holy.” In verses 33-37, today’s reading, the focus is on how one treats the immigrants living among you.

In the first two verses we see how the ethics of love and holiness should be applied to the immigrants living in the land: “When immigrants live in your land with you, you must not cheat them… You must love them as yourself.” There is a connection here to Israel’s time as slaves in Egypt. This becomes clear in the next verse. There is an element of “remember how poorly you were treated” being connected to “then don’t do that to others.” Our human nature can tempt us to pass mistreatment we’ve known along to those with less power or with less voice because Satan’s lie is that this behavior will somehow make us feel better.

In Egypt there were two sets of weights for the scales. A heavier set required the Israelites to produce more brick, harvest… to meet their work quotas. A lighter set yielded less when they bartered for needed items. Fair treatment is what God is calling Israel to in today’s verses. It is what we are still called to today.

Treating everyone the same is what we are called to do as we practice God’s ethics of love and holy living. We can be tempted to take advantage of or to mistreat those with less power or less voice and this can happen in many ways – economically, socially, politically. When tempted, may we remember the charge to “love them as yourself.”

Prayer: Lord God, help us to be holy as you are holy. Guide us to love others as you love us. May the way we treat the outsider, the powerless, the voiceless, the marginalized reflect how we would hope to be treated if we stood in their shoes. Empower us to stand for justice with compassion. Strengthen us to stand against prejudice and marginalization. Amen.


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God Looks Within

Reading: Proverbs 31

‭Proverbs 31:30 – “Charm is deceptive and beauty fleeting, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.”

Photo credit: Diego Gennaro

As we close our Proverbs we read from Lemuel, also from Massa. Our passage begins with the words the king heard from his mother. She warns him against the woman of folly who steals men’s strength. She warns him against strong drink – it leads one to forget the Law and the rights of the needy. She encourages him to speak for the voiceless and to judge righteously, defending the poor and needy.

In verse 10 the focus shifts to the “competent wife.” Recent scholars believe this poem is really about Lady Wisdom and not some earthly woman. The elevated status she enjoys in these words would’ve been most unlikely in the ancient world. Even so, this can represent the ideal, then and now, for all of us.

The “competent wife” possesses the traits of Lady Wisdom. She brings good, not trouble. She works joyfully with her hands, even at night. She buys vineyards and makes and sells garments. She cares for the poor and needy. She is confident about the future because “her mouth is full of wisdom; kindly teaching is on her tongue.” Her children bless her and her husband praises her. Indeed, her value is “far above pearls.”

A good and competent woman – or any person for that matter – will possess these qualities. They are inner qualities. In verse 30 we are reminded, “Charm is deceptive and beauty fleeting, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.” God looks within to see who and what we are. May that be pleasing in God’s sight.

Prayer: Lord God, help us all to aspire to the example set by Lady Wisdom, an extension of you. Guide us to work diligently and joyfully, to stand and speak for the voiceless, to care for those in need, and to honor you above all else. Amen.


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Champion the Cause

Reading: Jeremiah 1:4-10

Verse 10: “I have appointed you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and plant.”

Photo credit: Wylly Suhendra

Jeremiah was called by God to speak God’s word to the world. His voice did not just go out to the people of God. He also spoke to those who were negatively impacting the children of God. God called Jeremiah to speak against the corruption and injustices of Judah. God appointed Jeremiah “over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and plant.” This is a sweeping appointment.

Jeremiah was charged with uprooting and tearing down, with destroying and overthrowing. He was tasked with rooting out the causes of corruption and injustice and with tearing down the systems that perpetuated these evils. Jeremiah was led to destroy the sins that led to selfishness and to overthrow the systems of power that disenfranchised much of the population. God is clearly on the side of the poor and powerless. God sent Jeremiah to be God’s voice, championing their cause.

As I think about Jeremiah’s charge and our world today, I can’t but help think that God continues to call us to speak against the people and systems that are corrupt and against the acts of injustice and oppression that these create. God remains on the side of the poor and powerless, of the voiceless and marginalized. As in Jeremiah’s day there are plenty of self-centered and prideful leaders who are seeking to perpetuate and even create unjust systems that keep power in their hands. The ideals that were there at the founding of our nation – servant leadership, striving for the common good, equality and justice for all – seem to have been forgotten. Hand in hand, in many ways, we have forgotten our call to care for those without voice or power.

Just thinking about the small kingdom in which you dwell, what needs to be rooted out, what needs torn down? Is it corruption or is it racism or sexism or some other -ism? What needs destroyed or overthrown? Is it a lack of access to education or health care? Is it leaders focused on self and on gathering power and wealth? How can you and I champion the cause if our nation and of those who are powerless and voiceless?

Prayer: Lord God, heal our land. Let the healing begin with me. Let the planting and building up of what was of old – equality, justice, the common good, humble service – begin anew in our land. Give me eyes to see the systems that work against your vision for our world. Empower me to work against these sinful behaviors and against these harmful -isms. Heal our land, O Lord. Amen.


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Save Your People

Reading: Jeremiah 31: 7-9

Verse 7: “O Lord, save your people.”

Photo credit: Pablo Heimplatz

Jeremiah 31 is in the part of the book that details how God will bring the Israelites back from exile. One day God promises to gather them “from the ends of the earth.” As our passage opens, the Lord encourages the people to sing with joy and to make their praises heard, praying, “O Lord, save your people.” Through Jeremiah, God invites the people to praise God and to ask God to save them.

Those encouraged to seek God and to petition God for help expands in verse eight to include “the blind and the lame, expectant mothers and women in labor.” This partial list represents the weak and the vulnerable. When God says that a “great throng” will return it implies that all who are weak or vulnerable – or outcast or marginalized or powerless or voiceless – all will be called back home to the Lord.

Although written nearly 3,000 years ago, these words remind us today of the same truths that undergirded this invitation and these promises: God loves and cares for those who turn to the Lord for help. God has good plans for you and me. Even when we feel like we are in exile or when we feel weak or powerless or alone, God also encourages us to cry out, “O Lord, save your people.” Like with Israel, God will hear us and will respond. God will rescue and redeem us too.

In verse nine we read, “They will come with weeping, they will pray as I bring them back.” These will be tears of joy and prayers of praise as God guides us “besides streams of water” as God provides a “level path” so that we do not stumble. In love God cares for and protects those who seek and love the Lord. Thanks be to God.

Prayer: Lord God, I praise you for all of your love and care. Thank you for always calling out to me in so many ways. Your love and care never fails. You are an amazing God. May all the praises be yours. Amen.