Don't jump with everyone else

"Everyone was doing it!"  Most children have used this excuse once.  Every parent has responded with "If everyone jumped off the Brooklyn Bridge, would you?" 

In a sense God was warning the Israelites not to do what everyone else would be doing in the new land.  In Deuteronomy 16:21-17:13, He was preparing them for a new environment with new challenges.  There would be people worshipping Asherah poles and sacred stones.  They would sacrifice the flawed and defective rather than the first and best.

God warns them not  to set up a wooden Asherah pole next to the altar built to God.  He knew they would be tempted to worship God in the world's way, not God's way.  These verses tell me that worship in the world's way is wrong.  We may think it will help us fit in, yet it will separate us from God.

These verses might be summed up simply as "do not practice evil."  The verses also give me some guidelines for prevention of slipping into false worship.

Get the facts. If the Israelites heard of fellow Israelites practicing false worship they were to investigate thoroughly.  They were to have two or three witnesses, not just one.  I need to know the facts but I also need to be very familiar with God's teaching.  I am to compare the facts with God's word.  If it is unclear to me, I should seek the advice of my spiritual leaders to clarify the matter.

Purge the evil completely.  Just because others are doing something, apparently with no dire consequences, I need to keep away if it is contrary to God's teaching.

It's not private.  We try to fool ourselves by thinking, "this is my personal business" but it's not.  Others will see how we act and express our relationship.  If we behave in a right manner, others will learn about God.  And God always knows our heart regardless of how we seek to hide, cloak, defend or justify our actions.

Today these verses remind me that one form of evil is false worship, worshipping in the world's way, not God's way.  This form of evil will separate me from God.  This form of evil is contagious and I must stop the spread of it by choosing to act according to God's ways.

I live in this world that tempts me to follow Self, Money and Power.  Just because the majority of the world worships those gods I am not going to prosper if I conform.  God has a better life planned for me.  If I adhere to God's ways I will have far more.  It may not be logical but it will be beneficial.

Deuteronomy tells me that it will go well for me in the "Promised Land" if I stick with God's ways.