The less complicated life

My first day on the job the "cardinal" rule was explained to me.  It was in regard to handling of a particular document that would be my responsibility.  The word "never" was used.  We have  a set of procedures and there were some actions that were never to occur.  The reason for "never" was to protect  the integrity of the document.  Since that day I have adhered to the "never" and I have impressed upon anyone who works with me, this cardinal rule, the one never to break.

I thought about our human tendency to break rules to obtain the fleshly desires of our heart when I read Deuteronomy 21: 15-17.  God gives instructions for the situation of a man who has two wives.  He loves one but not the other.  Unfortunately his firstborn son is the child of the unloved wife and God knows that this man will want to follow his heart and give the other child, the son of his beloved wife, the rights of the firstborn.

It seems too prevalent in the world that we are encouraged and taught to follow what we want, not what is right.  We always want to be first, preferred, double blessed, so we bend rules to justify getting what we want. What we want may not always be what is right.

My puppy Molly is learning what it is like to be number 3.  She wants to be number 1.  She will bark, grab, ignore, beg and now that she has had a limp, use sympathy to get what she wants.  The limp will appear occasionally now when begging, barking and grabbing hasn't worked!  Yet Makena is the oldest dog and I am the pack leader on the other end of the leash.  (OK Dick is the real pack leader but I'm holding the end of the leash.)

As I look ahead in the coming verses in Deuteronomy, I might subtitle them as " You will make your life complicated, here's some advice ..."  My first lesson to learn from the man in today's verses would be stick to one wife.  Today's verses will go under the point, "Stick to the rules."  I know I need a Savior because I have learned that I often have a hard time following the rules I make up myself.

I thought of the words in Proverbs 3 "lean not on your own understanding".  My own understanding would be what my flesh wants and how I can make that happen.  If I want something the world will tell me to beg, bark, grab or guilt to get it.  When I went to Proverbs to read that chapter, I noted it was a father giving advice to his son.  The advice was to stick to God's commands.  God's ways will make life's ways straight.  Our desires too often make for a complicated life.

Today I am reminded that I must stick to God's ways and perhaps say "never" to my fleshly desires.  If I live with integrity my life will be less complicated.

I also noted that I write this on Father's Day.  I thank God that He is the example of integrity in my life.  God has stuck with me throughout all the complications and curves of my life journey.  He still loves me and continues to point out that His way is less complicated. Yet I, also,  see examples of integrity  in the men in my life, my dad, my husband and my son.  Thanks, guys, for sticking to the rules!

Prepared for the future

"Exactly right!"  I had figured a payoff of a mortgage and called the lender to confirm the amount.  After I hung up I "flashed back" to over 30 years ago to the job  that taught me the skill.  I was glad that the job so long ago prepared me for the job I have today.

When I read verses 10-14 in Deuteronomy 21 my first thought was "Oh no, my streak is over.  What can these verses possibly teach me?"  God gives the Israelites the proper behavior for taking a captive woman during war.  I thought about ignoring it and skipping but being an occasional legalistic I decided to ponder the verses.

These verses remind me that God knew the future.  He knew some of the Israelites would get themselves into  the situation described.  They might be attracted to one of the women taken captive during the wars.  They might choose to take her as a wife and they  might even  lose interest in her.  So God gave the instructions ahead of time so the Israelites would behave appropriately.

So God must know my future.  He knows that my emotional desire will get me into situations and He gives me instructions on my behavior in the situations I have created.  God didn't tell the Israelites to take these women into their homes and hearts but He knew they would.

So when I get myself into these situations I can't blame God or try to believe He planned it.  I can ask God how to handle it.  Hopefully, if I look back over my life, He has equipped me to deal with the situation.  Today I am reminded that the Bible has given me some advice for my behavior.

I am comforted that God knows my future and loves me anyway. There will be times when my heart leads me, rather than logic and His Will.  These times may not turn out as I thought and I may be mired in a predicament.  These verses tell me how to handle the consequences of my decision.

Honor my commitment.  I may not want to but I have responsibility for creating the situation.  I will ask God how I should fulfill the commitments I have created.

Respect the parties affected.  In the situation I have created, it is not all about me.  Other people are affected.  I will ask God how to be respectful to those involved.

Have compassion on myself and those involved.  These verses remind me that God knows exactly who and what I am.  So He knows I will get entangled in my own desires.  He loves me anyway and has compassion on me, so I will remember to have compassion on others and myself.

Finally I ask myself "Why these verses are still important today?"  My conclusion for today:  It's about reputation, God's and mine.  God reminded the Israelites that how they handle such situations will be a stark contrast to the evil in the nations Israel will conquer.  Their behavior will reflect on the ONE True God.

My behavior, even in the situations I choose, ultimately reflects on God and His reputation.  My first goal is to choose wisely but when I miss that mark I choose to respond with honor, respect and compassion.

I know nothing

"I know nothing."  When I read the verses in Deuteronomy 21:1-9 I remembered a TV show from my childhood.  The prison guard knew of the prisoners antics but refused to acknowledge them.  He thought that if he didn't know he would not be held responsible. 

These verses in Deuteronomy made me ponder what society teaches us.  Too often and too many people operate their daily lives around the phrases "I don't know" "I don't care" "It won't affect me" "It doesn't bother me".

These verses show me that God cared about an unknown man killed by an unknown assailant in an unknown field.  He cared enough to give the Israelites a plan to care.  They had to  measure the distance from the deceased to the nearest town to assign jurisdiction.  He gave careful instructions to find an innocent heifer to be the atonement for the sin.  The nearest town's priests were to wash their hands, to show their innocence yet place innocent hands on the innocent heifer which would be the sacrifice for a sin no one they knew had committed.

God cares about the unknown sin and He knows that the mysterious source of sin will hang like a cloud over a community.  He knows that the community needs the atonement even when they are not guilty.  Sin is not sin in a vacuum.  Sin effects the community.

God knows that for the Israelites to live in a community, to "get along", there will be situations that the community will need to acknowledge and take some responsibility.  These verses also comfort me.  Even though no one may known of an injustice I have experienced, God knows and He cares.

In our sinful and too often mystery filled world, we cannot claim lack of knowledge and still be innocent.  If our brother is a part of the community, we should care just as God cared about the unknown deceased man. I must be the one to call 911; to report a crime; to assist a person in distress.  Just because I think something won't affect me, I still am responsible for  my community.  It's why I vote; why I believe in better schools; want a cleaner environment; help to feed the hungry...

I may not know or be held responsible but God always knows and that makes me responsible.  Each time the TV show prison guard's plan of deniability backfired.  Many times the prisoners had to come to his aid.  It made for a humorous TV show but in life it makes life stressful and complicated.  Caring and being responsible is the less complicated life. 

"I didn't know" doesn't absolve my feeling of guilt, it's a call to care.

Leave it

"Leave it"  My most frequent command to the puppies on the Monday morning walk.  Most people mow their lawns on the weekend.  Clumps of cut and fermenting grass will be plentiful on the curbs and edges of lawns.  It is like chocolate to the puppies.  They strain at the leash to grasp a clump and swallow it.

I give the "leave it" command and a little jerk on the leash to remind them of the forbiddenness of these clumps.  I know the consequences of their consumption.  The clumps can make them ill.  I've cleaned up the evidence.  The clumps cause discord between the two pups.  Whatever Mickey has, Molly wants and usually gets.  And I find it distracts them from our goal, an energy-depleting walk. (And I find it jut plain gross!)

"Leave it" will be my topic heading for Deuteronomy 20:10-20.  God gives the Israelites instructions for attacking cities.  In their near future they will be attacking cities to conquer the Promised Land and in their future future there will be cities at their borders that will need to be subdued.  God gives instructions for the plunder, the inhabitants and the trees.

The verse that is impressed upon me is verse 18.  God lists the enemies they must completely destroy.  He even tells them why:  they will teach the Israelites their detestable ways and the Israelites will sin and worship their gods.

Have you  noticed the same defect in yourself and others that I notice in the puppies?  That which is forbidden is so attractive.  If God says "leave it" we still strain to make it ours.

These verses remind me that if God has condemned it for me, I need to leave it.  He has told me it could be harmful to me or others, it will cause discord and/or it will lead me away from Him.

Thank you God that you know my immediate future as well as my future future.  You love me and give me commands that are for my best.  Your plan for me is to avoid harm to myself and others, to live in peace with others and to worship God alone.

My response to your commands should be to strain away from the detestable and strain toward You.