SET APART TO BE HOLY

 

The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the Israelites and say: ‘I am the Lord your God. You must not do as they do in Egypt and you must not do as they do in the land of Canaan. Do not follow their practices. You must obey my laws. I am the Lord your God.

The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the entire assembly of Israel- not just to the priests and the leaders- and say to them: ‘Be holy (be separate or set apart) because I, the Lord your God, am holy.

You must respect your mother and father. Others may not, but you must because I am your God..

Observe my Sabbaths (as “hoIi-days”). Others may live as if my Sabbaths are designed for them, but you must keep them “holy” because I am your God.

Do not turn to idols or make metal gods, (like they do in other nations). Many people worship themselves and the work of their hands, but you must trust in the Lord,,, because I am your God.

When you reap your harvest, don’t reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest (even if you are tempted to do so). Don’t go over your vineyard a second time or pick up grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner, no matter your view of either group, because I am the Lord your God.

Don’t steal. Don’t lie. Don’t deceive one another. In the family of God we speak the truth and love others as we love ourselves.

Don’t hold back the wages of a hired worker overnight. Pay them without delay. In the household of God, we treat others as we want to be treated.

Do not curse the deaf… or put a stumbling block in front of the blind. Life is difficult, but it is even tougher for people who are disabled. So, if you can’t bring yourself to help them, make sure that you don’t mock them or add to their burdens,

When a foreigner resides among you, do not mistreat them. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.

Use honest scales and honest weights, an honest ephah and an honest hin. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt.

Rules to live by. Family rules. Ways of living that show others that we are part of God’s family. When we entered our daughter’s house in Joliet, we were asked to take off our shoes. My mother didn’t like it…but as part of the family, we took off our shoes, When we had family gatherings in Des Moines, we were more likely to have beer than “pop”, and many of our family members smoked. Other families eschew both of those things, but if you were joining the Shedenhelms, you needed to bring your own pop. Sherry and I pray before meals, whether we’re eating in or dining out, but there was a time when prayer never even crossed our minds. If you were to stop by and visit us, you would never interrupt a movie because I rarely watch them.

 

Families have their own ways, and the family of God is set apart to be obedient and loving. Holiness is what sets the people of Israel apart from the peoples around them. Be holy, God declared, because I am holy. Live in obedience to the laws I have laid down. Others won’t, of course. They will ignore God’s law and even mock it, but God’s family will live as if they are God’s people! Others will march to a different drummer. They may worship themselves and things that catch their eyes. They will violate God’s commandments, modify them, or ignore them altogether. The world will go mad and they invite us to join in, but those who are part of God’s family will stay the course. They will put God first and treat others with compassion. 

 

Just before they entered the Promised Land, Joshua proclaimed, “Choose today whom you will serve. As for me and my family, we will serve the Lord!” In my view, James captured the essence of holiness when he wrote, “Religion that God accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” O Lord, help me to serve you in ways that honor you and also bless others in my community and your family of faith. Help me see others as You see them, Lord, through eyes of love, service and grace.” Amen!