Today’s
Scripture Reading (July 10, 2012): Leviticus 12
One of the hardest things to teach our children and anyone else around
us is that life makes no attempt to be fair. Even our attempt at describing an
original sin is not really fair. Why should i be punished for something that
someone else has done? And yet in almost every arena of life the reality of
that single fact shines true. If we want, there will always be someone else
that we can blame for the things that have happened in our lives. We never
really have to take responsibility. Except that I cannot think of an
unhealthier way to live.
And so, according to the law, a child’s life begins in sin. It begins as
a reminder of the things that happened back in the original garden, generations
before conception. Childbirth becomes a constant reminder of the sin penalty
that we live under. And the sin penalty makes no attempt to be – fair.
And even in the rituals of purification, fairness seems to take a
backseat – it is not fair. The time given for the purification of a mother
after giving birth to a daughter is twice as long as the time given for a male
child. But it would probably be proper to recognize the times for a woman’s
cleansing after giving birth to a daughter is really the norm. The time of
purification for a male child is simply cut short by ritual of circumcision.
Circumcision becomes an act of grace, and yes, it is an unfair grace – but
grace is usually unfair.
We never really get all the bad that we deserve. God’s grace always
seems to intervene long before we get to that point. Sometimes we describe the
Old Testament as being dominated by the law and the New Testament being
dominated by grace. But what we often miss in our description is that grace is
also present in the Old Testament. It was present from the very beginning of
creation, and even codified into the Law of Moses.
Tomorrow’s
Scripture Reading: Leviticus 13
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