I’ve often joked that reading the book of Leviticus is a sure-fire way to cure insomnia! But if we approach this book with the understanding that the laws found there are meant to serve as guidelines for living life with God and with other people, we begin to see how valuable Leviticus is. And Leviticus Chapter 19 is chock-full of principles for living a joy-filled, abundant life.
Let’s look at a few of the gems hidden there.
In Leviticus 19:32, we are told to respect the elderly. I heard this often as I was growing up and invariably groaned when I heard it. Now, with every passing birthday, I’ve become a champion of this little jewel!
The economy is meant to be fair to all people because God commands that the weights and measures used in trading are to be accurate (Leviticus 19:35-36) and that the poor are to have access to the food that is inadvertently left in the fields after harvesting (Leviticus 19:9-10). God is not OK with greed among his followers!
The justice system is to be fair and not biased toward one person or another (Leviticus 19:15). This one should be obvious but since God specifically mentions it, it must not have always been obvious to the Israelites, and we have to admit that’s not always obvious to us today.
Jesus found the greatest hidden gem in Leviticus 19:18 when he was asked which is the greatest commandment and answered it is to love God with your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and your neighbor as yourself (Mark 12:28-34). Jesus linked the love of God with love of neighbor, understanding that we are to reflect God’s love and concern to the world around us.
And that’s a precious treasure we shouldn’t sleep through but live out every day!
Questions for reflection
- What hidden gems surprised you as you read through Leviticus 19-23? Why were they surprising?
- What hidden gems do you live by?