I love that GOD specifically makes provision for the poor that demands that the landowner treat them respectfully. What a great country we would be if we did the same!
I also appreciate the fact that the system isn't designed around handing out food (although we are to practice hospitality), rather it is about giving people the opportunity to get it themselves. In other words, there is still an amount of work involved if you want to have your needs met. But at least you have this opportunity. In other cultures at the time, the poor or foreign were not so fortunate. I think this adds to the self-respect of those in need. I think most people are willing to work to meet their needs, but they often don't have the opportunity (for a variety of reasons). Or they have become dependent on systems that don't require active participation but instead maintain passivity in society. How crazy would it be for the government to take some of their massive program money and buy farmland and then let those in need tend it, receiving the crops as payment? Of course, that's an oversimplified, hole filled proposition, but conceptually it is interesting to think about. It is tough to draw parallels because we don't live in an agrarian society. Urbanization was not a problem facing the Jews when these laws were established.
That goes back to the saying, "If you give a person a fish, you feed him, but if you teach a person to fish, they can feed themselves for the rest of their lives."(paraphased). Doug and Frankie do this very well. Imagine what change would happen if Mike's idea could happen!!
Since we do live in a different context, and having people actually glean farmland is not a real possibility in our environment (nothing really gets left behind with mechanization anyway...I'm not a farmer, so that's just my observation), what are some ways that we can ensure that the poor have opportunities to meet their needs? How should we translate these commands into Northern Kentucky. As dougnfrankie have already mentioned, we can begin by showing respect. Does the church have a greater responsibility to fight for opportunities, overcome barriers to them, or even provide some opportunities itself?
For example, illiteracy could be a barrier to employment, regardless of one's physical ability or desire to work. Should the church be engaged in teaching people to read? Or teaching English to foreigners? Another example...should the church (as individuals or a body) be engaged politically to ensure that the laws that are passed uphold justice and the rights of every person? What responsibility to have to the process?
Those are all great ideas. I think people somehow need to be shown they can have confidence and self-esteem and do the job if they have one. Teaching people to read and write would be great, also.
Just what to share an observation on Ruth’s character which-has tons of application for us today. I noticed, she was a very submissive person. She was submissive to the LORD, Naomi, Boaz, the process of redemption, Obed. It amazes me that her submissive character was what brought about her “good fortune”. She had nothing, yet the LORD used her in his ultimate plan of redemption for all peoples. So, what is the application for our lives? Easy –submit; Easier said, than done. But in today culture submission is so counter to the culture that it will be noticed very quickly. At first it will be seen at weakness, but God’s power is made perfect in weakness. The New Testament tells us over and over to submit to another, governing authority, to our husbands, to the Church and to Christ. The process of submission I see, it Ruth to Naomi, then Naomi’s people and then Naomi’s God. It would be more “spiritual to say she first submitted her self to the Lord, because that is where most of us have to start. However her process was a little different in that the LORD provided her with relationships and a process that revealed Himself and his plans more fully. somehow- that can tie into the stream of thought currently on the blog. The question for ourselves is how? Who are what do we need to submit to this week, month, year?
Great insights J. We are all called to be submissive. We have been talking in the youth group about submitting to authority and how it never goes away even with age. You just have different people to whom you need to submit. This is difficult to do, especially with joy. But I agree with you that it is essential if we want to be used by the Lord.
Great discussion last night about submission and what that really means. Too many people see submission as a negative thing, because out-of-context scripture has been misused throughout history to abuse others. If you read about submission throughout the entire Bible however, it is clear that all are to submit to GOD first. If everyone did that, the issue of submission to other humans would be a non-issue, because everyone would be striving for GOD's will, not their own.
One thing I thought about recently concerning submission and our Bible study the other day was- "folks who beat others and try to quote the Bible are consistent with the Devil in Matthew Chapter 4. He quotes Psalm 91 in an attempt to get Jesus to test the Father. The Pharisees did the same thing in the lessons they taught and questions they ask to Jesus. So the Devil has plenty of companions willing to misquote the Bible for perverse ends. That is why it is important to know the context of verses and to interpret the harder passages with the Bible as a whole and not to interpret the whole Bible by a few verses. That unfortunately happens all time and even through out church history , that is one reason for so many denominations around the world.
11 comments:
I love that GOD specifically makes provision for the poor that demands that the landowner treat them respectfully. What a great country we would be if we did the same!
I also appreciate the fact that the system isn't designed around handing out food (although we are to practice hospitality), rather it is about giving people the opportunity to get it themselves. In other words, there is still an amount of work involved if you want to have your needs met. But at least you have this opportunity. In other cultures at the time, the poor or foreign were not so fortunate. I think this adds to the self-respect of those in need. I think most people are willing to work to meet their needs, but they often don't have the opportunity (for a variety of reasons). Or they have become dependent on systems that don't require active participation but instead maintain passivity in society. How crazy would it be for the government to take some of their massive program money and buy farmland and then let those in need tend it, receiving the crops as payment? Of course, that's an oversimplified, hole filled proposition, but conceptually it is interesting to think about. It is tough to draw parallels because we don't live in an agrarian society. Urbanization was not a problem facing the Jews when these laws were established.
That goes back to the saying, "If you give a person a fish, you feed him, but if you teach a person to fish, they can feed themselves for the rest of their lives."(paraphased). Doug and Frankie do this very well. Imagine what change would happen if Mike's idea could happen!!
Since we do live in a different context, and having people actually glean farmland is not a real possibility in our environment (nothing really gets left behind with mechanization anyway...I'm not a farmer, so that's just my observation), what are some ways that we can ensure that the poor have opportunities to meet their needs? How should we translate these commands into Northern Kentucky. As dougnfrankie have already mentioned, we can begin by showing respect. Does the church have a greater responsibility to fight for opportunities, overcome barriers to them, or even provide some opportunities itself?
For example, illiteracy could be a barrier to employment, regardless of one's physical ability or desire to work. Should the church be engaged in teaching people to read? Or teaching English to foreigners?
Another example...should the church (as individuals or a body) be engaged politically to ensure that the laws that are passed uphold justice and the rights of every person? What responsibility to have to the process?
Those are all great ideas. I think people somehow need to be shown they can have confidence and self-esteem and do the job if they have one. Teaching people to read and write would be great, also.
Just what to share an observation on Ruth’s character which-has tons of application for us today. I noticed, she was a very submissive person. She was submissive to the LORD, Naomi, Boaz, the process of redemption, Obed. It amazes me that her submissive character was what brought about her “good fortune”. She had nothing, yet the LORD used her in his ultimate plan of redemption for all peoples.
So, what is the application for our lives? Easy –submit; Easier said, than done. But in today culture submission is so counter to the culture that it will be noticed very quickly. At first it will be seen at weakness, but God’s power is made perfect in weakness. The New Testament tells us over and over to submit to another, governing authority, to our husbands, to the Church and to Christ.
The process of submission I see, it Ruth to Naomi, then Naomi’s people and then Naomi’s God. It would be more “spiritual to say she first submitted her self to the Lord, because that is where most of us have to start. However her process was a little different in that the LORD provided her with relationships and a process that revealed Himself and his plans more fully.
somehow- that can tie into the stream of thought currently on the blog. The question for ourselves is how? Who are what do we need to submit to this week, month, year?
Great insights J. We are all called to be submissive. We have been talking in the youth group about submitting to authority and how it never goes away even with age. You just have different people to whom you need to submit. This is difficult to do, especially with joy. But I agree with you that it is essential if we want to be used by the Lord.
Great discussion last night about submission and what that really means. Too many people see submission as a negative thing, because out-of-context scripture has been misused throughout history to abuse others. If you read about submission throughout the entire Bible however, it is clear that all are to submit to GOD first. If everyone did that, the issue of submission to other humans would be a non-issue, because everyone would be striving for GOD's will, not their own.
Amen!
One thing I thought about recently concerning submission and our Bible study the other day was- "folks who beat others and try to quote the Bible are consistent with the Devil in Matthew Chapter 4. He quotes Psalm 91 in an attempt to get Jesus to test the Father. The Pharisees did the same thing in the lessons they taught and questions they ask to Jesus. So the Devil has plenty of companions willing to misquote the Bible for perverse ends.
That is why it is important to know the context of verses and to interpret the harder passages with the Bible as a whole and not to interpret the whole Bible by a few verses.
That unfortunately happens all time and even through out church history , that is one reason for so many denominations around the world.
Post a Comment