Friday, 28 August 2020

A low wall around your roof

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"When you build a new house, you must build a low wall around your roof; otherwise someone may fall from it, and you will be responsible for his death." (Deuteronomy 17:1, CJB)

Let's be honest, very few of us build a wall round the roof of our house these days. Conversely, though, how often have you heard someone shrug their shoulders and say "Well, that's their lookout, isn't it? Why should I say anything?" Or "Well, it's not my problem, I don't have to look out for them, do I?"

I think this verse teaches us that sometimes we do have a responsibility to look out for other people. We must be careful to make sure that things that are in our keeping (physical and spiritual) shouldn't be the cause of someone else "falling". Sometimes that means doing quite tedious and time-consuming things to make sure that everything is safe, but sometimes it's just little that can make a big difference.

This verse from the B'rit Hadasha portion demonstrates G-d's desire for all to receive blessing and the Spiti - the key is "through trusting and being faithful". This Shabbat, let us consider how faithful we are and pray that G-d will show us areas where we need to improve and "build a low wall".

"Yeshua the Messiah did this so that in union with him the Gentiles might receive the blessing announced to Avraham, so that through trusting and being faithful, we might receive what was promised, namely, the Spirit." (Galatians 3:14, CJB)