Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind, but fear your God. I am the Lord. (Lev. 19:14)
To Pastor Dan, it sounded like a heavy-breathing monster. But the sound was only the furnace. After more than fifty years of not being able to hear anything, Pastor Dan was learning to recognize new sounds after receiving cochlear implants. The devices bypassed his genetically damaged inner ears and were delivering these strange auditory sensations to his brain. He constantly asked his wife, “What’s that noise?” A clicking pen, the flicking of a light switch, an engine’s ignition—they were all new sensorial experiences for this faithful servant of God.
The law of Moses covered just about every scenario the people of God would face—not only in the wilderness, but also when they entered the promised land, became established, and experienced conflict. These laws covered those who prospered as well as the poor and those struggling with other disadvantages, like the deaf and the blind.
Each of these commands against exploitation and favoritism ends with the statement from God: “I am the Lord.” The Spirit of God grieves when people are ignored and justice is perverted. So, as God’s people, as followers of Christ, we must never be lured into the comfort of our advantage, but rather to be the hands, feet, and compassion of Christ to a damaged and hurting world.
Ask God to open your eyes and be an ally in seeking justice.
Doug Schmidt’s devotionals were taken from the Wesleyan Publishing House curriculum archives.
© 2022 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
