(Deuteronomy 22:1-12) “You shall not see your countryman’s ox or his sheep straying away, and pay no attention to them; you shall certainly bring them back to your countryman. 2 If your countryman is not near you, or if you do not know him, then you shall bring it home to your house, and it shall remain with you until your countryman looks for it; then you shall restore it to him. 3 Thus you shall do with his donkey, and you shall do the same with his garment, and you shall do likewise with anything lost by your countryman, which he has lost and you have found. You are not allowed to neglect them. 4 You shall not see your countryman’s donkey or his ox fallen down on the way, and pay no attention to them; you shall certainly help him to raise them up.
5 (to be covered in tomorrow's devotional)
6 “If you happen to come upon a bird’s nest along the way, in any tree or on the ground, with young ones or eggs, and the mother sitting on the young or on the eggs, you shall not take the mother with the young; 7 you shall certainly let the mother go, but the young you may take for yourself, in order that it may be well with you and that you may prolong your days.
8 “When you build a new house, you shall make a parapet for your roof, so that you will not bring bloodguilt on your house if anyone falls from it.
9 “You shall not sow your vineyard with two kinds of seed, or all the produce of the seed which you have sown and the increase of the vineyard will become defiled.
10 “You shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together.
11 “You shall not wear a material mixed of wool and linen together.
12 “You shall make yourself tassels on the four corners of your garment with which you cover yourself.
TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:
While God cares about protecting the vulnerable and innocent, God also wants us to get along with all our neighbors and countrymen, as well as just get along in life. So we see a bunch of very practical laws. Some of them I'd even say are what we call today - "best business practices"!
Let's start with the verses about being kind to animals, which would include respecting our environment and resources. Like in verses 6-7, it would not only be cruel to the babies to kill off the mother bird, but it would be stupid to kill off one's resources. Plowing a field with a donkey and an ox would not only be frustrating for the animals but for the farmer, as the strength and stride of these animals are not the same.
God actually helps us see that we should avoid creating frustrating situations! We can apply this to our relationships as well. The first few verses are all about being kind to one's neighbor and looking out for their interests. Doing these things will foster good relationships with those around you. When we are kind to others, generally, they will be inspired to return the kindness. As far as building codes and procedures, it is always wise to have safety in mind. Why create situations where someone could be injured... short term or long term.
God also gives wise advice on what and how to plant. If you have ever been to a vineyard, you will notice that everything is planted in lovely rows, separated by the different types of vines with labelled sign posts. Vineyards will also keep meticulous notes on which year a certain vine did well, or which vine came under attack from which insect or specific weather conditions. It is a science! Also, different varieties will ripen at different times. Different grapes will also taste much different than others, so blending these tastes together could produce something that tastes really bad. So following this advice will protect one's own interests and investments!
As for blending wool and linen, practically, wool is to keep a person warm, while linen is to keep a person cool. Therefore, putting these two together could mess up a person's perspiration flow. Again, it is to our benefit to avoid frustrating situations in order to help our demeanor around other people, which will then help us better represent the Lord. As well, pagan priests wore this blend thinking that it was magical. At the same time, the Israelites were to wear tassels on their clothing in order to remind them of the Lord and His goodness.
To apply these dress codes today, it is as simple as us not wanting to dress in a way that would represent something that is against God and His will. It is how we live that will reflect and represent the Lord to those around us. When we study and apply God's word, asking Him to work in and through us, all to God's glory, we will experience peace and blessings. I'm not talking about a prosperity gospel here. While God will look after our physical needs (not necessarily our wants), it is all about God's richest spiritual blessings, as we clothe ourselves with the righteousness of Jesus.
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