Today’s Reading: Exodus 21:12-27; 22:1-4; Leviticus 24:19-20; Numbers 33:34-35:9-34; Deuteronomy 5:17; 19; 19:1-14; 22:25-29; 24:7; 25:11-12
Did you look? Today is the last day to read for Feb! Yes, you got a break tomorrow as a leap year special! I am planning to use tomorrow to catch up with all those days I have missed in the past two months — believe it or not, I missed some of weekends! But, I just read along each day without worrying about missing a day or two or three days, even. If you miss some days, don’t get discouraged, just start reading today’s reading only.
Today’s reading is a full of rules on special crimes — I can tell you that most of these rules/laws are in our modern legal system in Western countries. Canada does not have a death penalty, but US certainly does.
As I said, one verse I find it interesting is the famous verse – “eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise”. I can’t recall how many people – non-Christians especially – quote this verse in justifying their action of revenge against those who have hurt them in the past. Then, we hear from Christ to forgive your enemy or to offer your other cheek when you slap one cheek. What a concept!
When I try to explain my kids what is “forgiveness”, it took me sometime to figure it out for myself. If you recall 40 days of Love, we studied about forgiveness — essentially your willingness to let go of your right to revenge against those who hurt you. You are letting go of your own hurt and will not get back at the person who did that hurt against you. it is a difficult concept and a lot harder to do in life.
Are you not glad that we got the New Testament? We are to let go of our right to revenge under the law of “eye for eye, tooth for tooth” – no more of hurting others for hurts we got from them.
With one extra day tomorrow, why not pray for those who hurt you in your past and let go of your claim to take a revenge? You cannot do it by yourself – you can only forgive with the grace of God in you.