December 18, 2023

Passage Read: Leviticus 11-14
Meditation Verse: 14:57

Thought

The Israelites needed to know when they were clean and when they were unclean for the sake of their neighbors and for the sake of God's sanctuary. No one was allowed in the sanctuary when they were unclean; they weren't allowed to corrupt God's holy house. Likewise, they were supposed to be considerate of their neighbors, so as not to corrupt or infect them and make them unclean. To love a neighbor meant protecting them from whatever disease might have come upon you or something you possessed.

Application

While these laws of uncleanness are no longer in effect for me, the principles of loving my neighbor (and the gathering place of God's people) remain. I need to be sensitive to others if I'm sick and contagious and not bring my sickness near to them. Yet like the priest who had to go near to determine uncleanness, I can choose to risk my health to serve those who might be contagious.