Mon.’s Devo - Under, Equal, Over

Read Ex. 21:17-21 Today we will read about 3 types of people that God set up laws for: the one under authority, the ones equal in authority, and the one in authority. The first on is for those under authority. God is serious about honoring authority, especially our parents. The word “curse” in the Hebrew means to “make light of”. That would be to make light of God’s set-up line of authority - otherwise called rebellion. God said in 1 Sam 15:23 that “rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.” Ouch! So in the Old Testament to curse either of your parents was punishable by death which is why they had few rebellious teenagers. Verses 18 and 19 are interesting: if you are fighting with someone who is your equal and you hurt them with a stone or your fist, then you have to pay them for their days they can’t work and for any medical bills they may have. As long as you pay, you are not punished. (Old Testament Workman’s Comp!) We don’t tend to go around with a purse full of stones to throw, or swinging our fists, but we may go around throwing hurtful words and swinging our power and influence to hurt another’s reputation. When we realize we have actually injured someone we are suppose to do what it takes to make things right and heal the injured party. James put it like this: “With our tongue we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.” So, when we hurt others, we are hurting God. The third type of person God deals with is the person who is over other people… the boss. If he kills one of his employees, then he will be punished. If he just wounds the worker then his punishment is the man’s lack of work he can do. So God takes care of us when we are being abused by someone over us. A disgruntled worker can cause all kinds of injury to a business. A boss can literally shoot himself in the foot by being unjust to a worker. Lord, we fill all of these rolls as a mother, father, wife, husband, and employee. Help us to honor you and those around us and be a blessing instead of a curse.