Borrowed Breath

“If your brother becomes poor and cannot maintain himself with you, you shall support him as though he were a stranger and a sojourner, and he shall live with you.”

(Leviticus 25:35 ESV)

This verse points out an amazing inconsistency the LORD saw in the nation of Israel.  He commands them to treat a poverty-stricken brother just like they would treat a stranger or sojourner passing through their land.  They were more prone to show hospitality to an outsider than they were to meet the dire physical needs of a family member.  The writer of Hebrews later reminds the nation of Israel, “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares” (Hebrews 13:2 ESV).  But by this law in the Old Testament, it appears that an Israelite had a propensity to show kindness to a visitor before they ministered to a brother in need.  And if we are honest with ourselves, it’s often easier, when we hear about a need of a missionary or a family in another land, to send money or whatever is needed to alleviate some hardship, than it is to reach out to a needy family member.

I believe there are two reasons we could fall into this same state of mind, and find ourselves in need of hearing this law again in our own lives.  The first is that it is quick and semi-painless to write a check or send a shoebox of trinkets to someone we don’t know, and be done with it.  We pat ourselves on the back for our generosity, and then go about our everyday life totally forgetting about the very ones to whom we were so moved to minister initially.  But a needy family member is right here all the time.  The Old Testament law actually instructed them to bring the poor brother into their house.  So they were confronted with this need day-in and day-out.  Their pocketbook was pinched.  Their living space was crowded.  Their food was consumed more swiftly.  It was a great inconvenience.  And it was continual difficulty until that needy brother had the means to move back out on his own.  It was not a once-and-done meal/bed/check/whatever.  It was very inconvenient.  But they were commanded to do it.

I believe the second reason we need to be reminded of this law is because there is an esteem we are awarded when we liberally help someone who doesn’t really know us.  A stranger comes through town.  We go out of our way to minister to him.  His belly is full.  He gets a roof over his head.  We may even, in an amazing stroke of generosity, give him our bed while we sleep on the couch.  The stranger goes on his way.  And when he remembers us, all he remembers is how wonderful we were.  Yet my brother is not so easily persuaded by a few moments of kindness.  He knows me.  The stranger has never seen me totally lose my cool.  My brother has.  The stranger does not know that I generally think of myself before anyone else.  My brother knows this.  The stranger sees me as only a well-behaved, gracious host.  My brother has seen me when I was neither one of these things.

So it is harder to reach out to those who know us best, to those we are “stuck with.”  But the heart behind this law is so full of love.  Imagine a congregation where this was a part of the mission statement that was lived out.  Imagine the impact that would make on the community.  Imagine the impact it would make on our children.  Imagine the impact it would make on our needy brother.

Imagine the impact it would make on us.