Tuesday, 17 September 2019

An Eye for an Eye

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One week this summer I received a phone call from the Acco Municipality asking for help to provide back to school supplies for 200 children. The same day we once again had an inspection of our building by the Acco Municipality regarding the building taxes. This to me was a paradox. Why? According to the recommendation (which is non negotiable) of the Interior Ministry, we are suppose to be exempt from building taxes. However, the municipality continues to question this decision, attempting to charge us as much as possible.

I found myself reading Exodus 21:23-25 and wondering how I should respond according to the Word of G-d. My interpretation of this scripture was that if the municipality recognizes us as a house of prayer then we will help them with the school supplies. With this I remembered the sentence of Mahatma Gandhi who quoted our L-rd Yeshua; "An eye for an eyes leaves the whole world blind." In Matthew 5:38-42 I read Yeshua's words that "... if someone comes to take your shirt give them your coat as well."

With this, I was challenged not only in the case of the municipality but in many areas where we should reflect our L-rd with ".... giving to Caesar what is Caesar's". Beyond that I was faced with not taking it out on the needy but once again reflecting Yeshua and doing the Will of G-d.

So the conclusion to the paradox is that despite the decision of the Acco Municipality regarding our property taxes we will honor their request to help the children of Acco.

These days in Israel people are more and more living and operating or functioning under the influence of the traditional understanding of an eye for an eye. This is why we are seeing more and more situtions here in the land where people are responding with a spirit of revenge.

From the killing of a teenager by a policeman to the death of a father over a parking space. These are only two examples symptomatic of a society being drawn toward chaos. Where do we put ourselves as Believers? Each of us may daily find ourselves challenged in our response to various situations. Will we respond with anger toward our neighbor, co-workers, etc?

Are we capable at that moment to remember who it is that dwells in each of us, He who gives us the grace to reflect Him? Only with this understanding can we stand and respond not in revenge but in the grace of our L-rd, remembering that freely we have received and freely we must give in return. (Matthew 10:8)

This is taken from the Harvest of Asher Facebook page.