The Art of Caring for One Another

Did you know that the Israelites were instructed by God not to reap the crop that was in the corners of their fields, wholly; nor were they supposed to gather every grape in their vineyard? They were supposed to leave these for the poor, as well as the stranger in the land Leviticus 19: 9,10. This was actually a law, a way of living instituted by God. We see this later in the story of Boaz and Ruth, all the way to the New Testament, when Jesus was with His disciples. Did you also know that there was an year of release of debts and the period of Jubilee (liberty) Leviticus 25. 

One thing that you will notice when you read through the Laws that the Israelites were instructed by God to live by, is that there was a special place for the needy. They were supposed to live as brothers, remembering that whatever each had was from the Lord. One of the reasons that God probably gave them these laws was to teach them how to live with each other, caring for each other, as well as to protect the needy and ensure that they did not lack. While we may not necessarily practice some of these laws as per the book, they were probably not just a lesson for the Israelites, but also a lesson for us today. A look at our streets today; the destitute families, the homeless children, are a clear indicator that we are also needing of the same lessons. The perfect art of caring for one another, as given by God Himself in the Scriptures.  

In the year of release, which occurred every seven years, any credit given by an Israelite to his fellow Israelite would be released. Any Hebrew sold to the Israelite as a servant would also be set free in the seventh year and not empty handed, but he would also be given possessions by the person who had housed him Deuteronomy 15.  Additionally, they were instructed to store up the tithe of every third year within their gates for the Levites, the fatherless, the stranger and the widow Deuteronomy 14:27-29 

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I wonder what would happen if each one of us (I am included too), took it upon himself to observe any of these laws or something similar, or simply as simplified by Jesus; love thy neighbour as you love yourself. I wonder the amount of change we would see, without requiring of the government or anyone else to do it. These laws were a constant reminder to the Israelites that whatever they had, they had been given by God; not by their own might, but through God.

See also Deuteronomy 24: 10-22, 26:11-15