How do you create a nation? What makes it a nation? What are the key elements of a nation?
Deuteronomy chapter 27, tells us about the forming of the nation of Israel. (Deuteronomy 27:9b) Like other nations, they separated from the rule they were under and fought to defend their freedom.
But it takes more than just separation and defense to make a nation. A new nation must not only abandon old rules, but it must also adopt new rules. To fail to do this is to create anarchy.
There are things that naturally go together. Think of bacon and eggs, peanut butter and jelly, Abbott and Costello, and Batman and Robin. When it comes to these pairings, one would seem incomplete without the other.
Deuteronomy chapter 26, reminds us of another inseparable pair: commitment and generosity. These are inseparable, because when you’re committed to something, you generously give yourself and your resources to it. And without generosity, your commitment is called into question.
The same is true when it comes to relationships. Your commitment to someone can be seen in how freely you give yourself and your resources to them. The greater your commitment, the greater your generosity, and the greater your generosity the greater the evidence of your commitment.
Nowhere is this inseparable pairing seen more (or at least it should be) than in marriage. Marriage calls for the ultimate in human commitment and giving. The more freely you give to your spouse, the more committed you are to them. And the more committed you are to your spouse, the more freely you give to them. Many a shaky marriage could be ignited and strengthened by pouring efforts into commitment and generosity. (In fact, Deuteronomy 26:16-19 sound a lot like a marriage ceremony.)
Deuteronomy chapter 26 reminds us that the same is true when it comes to our relationship with God. Our commitment to Him will be seen in our generosity to Him, and to others. (Matt. 25:40) (Matt. 22:36-39) And our generosity to God and others shows our commitment to Him and to others. Just like marriage, our relationship with God is to be characterized by a commitment to generously give ourselves and our resources to Him and others. May God help us to make these two concepts inseparable in our lives.
When I was growing up, my conscience and my sense of ethics was a direct result of my mother’s influence. My mother was raised by very moral and religious parents who regularly attended a small country Methodist church. Since my dad was not a believer, or even a religious man, it was my mom who taught me about right and wrong, about being fair and respectful of others, and about being kind and merciful to others.
Deuteronomy chapters 23-25, reminds me of her. The over-all theme of these chapters is the same ethics she impressed upon me…fairness, kindness, respect, and generosity.
We seldom stop and consider the importance of something as simple as a line.
Lines give us definition and clarity. A property line defines exactly what belongs to us and what belongs to our neighbor, thus clarifying disputes. Lines can also direct, like the lines on the highways and streets which direct the flow of traffic. Lines promote order. Imagine the chaos at banks, supermarkets, and sporting events if there were no lines? And lines provide separation, as with lines of defense, lines on a coloring book, and poverty lines.
You can even hear the importance of lines in certain phrases we use. Phrases like: “That lines up with what I believe.” “I’m drawing a line in the sand.” “He crossed over the line.”
We have rules and regulations to protect the innocent, punish the guilty, preserve the peace, and promote the general welfare. There’s just one problem…they don’t work!
Deuteronomy chapter 21 gives rules and regulations about a variety of things. When you read it, you can’t help but wonder why they needed all these specific rules and regulations.
The same is true today. There are more rules and regulations in our world than we can probably count, and we keep making more. Why? Because they don’t work! We keep finding new ways to break them, or new offenses that need new rules and regulations.
It’s not that rules and regulations are wrong, or that we should do away with them. (Even God saw the need for at least ten commandments.) It’s just that the problem(s) addressed by these rules and regulations will never be solved by regulating what we do with our hands. More than regulating our hands, we need to renovate our hearts. More than behavioral change, we need personal change…for what we do comes out of who we are. (Matt. 15:19)
There is a deep and pervasive limp in our very nature that leads us to be rule breakers. And we can’t fix this on our own. The law can’t cut it, because we can’t follow it. Yet, rather than being burdened by this, we belly up to the bar of self-sufficiency and order another round of rules.
We don’t need a new law; we need a new heart. We need to let God change the law of our heart. (Hebrews 10:16) Then we will have the power and desire to follow the laws and regulations we have…not out of obligation or fear of punishment, but out of love. (Rom. 7:6,7,14)
Are you paying more attention to the rules and regulations, or to the renovation of your heart?