But if they do not wash their clothes and bathe themselves, they will be held responsible. – Leviticus 17:16

Today's Scripture Reading (November 14, 2021): Leviticus 17

I believe in keeping what I call "short lists," although I also readily admit that keeping short lists is often easier to say than to do. I believe that when I think that I have wronged someone, I need to repent of my wrongdoing. And when I am wronged, I need to forgive. The pain in my past resulting from people who have wronged me or who I have wronged can be overwhelming, and life is too short to bear that pain for long periods of time. So, to the best of my ability, I both ask for forgiveness, and I forgive. Every evening, as I am relaxing trying to get ready for bed, I try to think of how I have failed people during my day's activities, and I commit to seeking forgiveness. I also examine how I have been hurt, and I seek to forgive those who have caused me pain, even though they have not asked me for forgiveness.

I try to do the same thing in my relationship with God. Where I have wronged him, I repent and ask for forgiveness. And if there is bitterness on my part toward God for the things that I believe he has allowed into my life, I resolve to let that pain go and just follow him to the best of my ability. This is my commitment to keep short lists. Because the reality is that I know that in living life, we gather resentments and sin that, if left alone, will only grow and cause us more problems as we continue with our journeys.

In Israel, it was apparently okay to eat animals that had died from some natural cause. And yet, at the same time, it wasn't okay. Or maybe we could say that it wasn't recommended or made simple. But sometimes, in life, we have to do things that are not easy or recommended. So, if they had to, Israel was allowed to consume animals that died naturally or were killed by another animal. But if they did, they needed to keep a short list. They would be considered to be unclean for the rest of the day, or until nightfall when the new day was thought to begin, and they would have to wash themselves as well as their clothes. As long as these tasks were done, the person could greet the new day as if nothing had happened.

But if they refused to do these things, they would be held responsible for their sin. This might be a responsibility in the sight of God, but it could also be a responsibility in the eyes of the local court. According to the 18^th century English Baptist biblical scholar John Gill, the offending person could be evicted from the community for not washing their bodies and could receive a physical beating for not washing their clothes. It was a very real penalty that had to be paid for not observing the custom after eating something that had died of natural causes, which was not technically against the Law of Moses.  

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Leviticus 18