March 13, 2020
What does it say?
God gave His people instructions on how to worship Him and how to treat one another with fairness and love.
What does it mean?
God had recently rescued Israel from 400 years of an oppressive form of slavery in Egypt. The Egyptians treated the Israelites brutally—often beating them to make them work harder and longer. The last thing God wanted was for His people to treat one another the same way the Egyptians had treated them. Therefore, when Israelites hired one another, they were to limit the term of service to six years. If one neighbor caused physical harm to another, the one causing the harm should compensate fairly the one harmed. God’s people were to act like God’s people—not like their former oppressors.
How should I respond?
When Jesus was asked which biblical law was the most important, He gave two answers: Love God with everything you have, and love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:35-40). The laws you read about today are summed up in these two ideas of loving God and your neighbor. Do you know a neighbor who could use a loving word or action today? Is there someone at work, in a store, at school, or any other place you go to whom you could show the type of kindness God’s people in Exodus were to show one another? We show our love for God when we show love to His people.