Deut 24-27 The intent behind the rule

March 7, Deuteronomy 24-27

      Lots of good stuff today. You really should read up on how not to have your house called..."The house of him who had his sandal pulled off." You don't want to be "that" guy. Also, don't take a widows only coat as a pledge. You'd think you wouldn't have to say that, however rules are put in place because people are doing those things. Have a heart!
       The part that stands out the most to me is this list of regulations regarding how we look at our own gain verses how we have a heart for others. The prescriptions are generally in regards to helping widows, orphans, strangers and the poor. It really is an assault on our  way of thinking. As Americans we really do think first and most about how to gain more profit for myself.
       The regulations that God sets out are: leave some fruit on the vine, don't beat your olive trees multiple times, don't go back and pick up a sheaf of grain if you left it in the field. Those things are to be left for the poor to come in after and glean. As Americans, we would pick the field over multiple times to make sure we didn't leave any profit on the ground. WE WANT IT ALL. Now everyone needs to figure out what that means in their own personal business setting, most of us aren't farming!
       We have funny ways of interacting with rules. The stingy landowner, tells his works to beat the olive tree 1 round just to honor the law. But his 1 round is 1 hour per tree instead of 1/2 hour per tree that is the norm (this is just for example, I have no idea what the norm is). Is he really keeping the spirit of the law? One landowner cuts all the best grapes off of the vine and leaves the fruit that hasn't matured yet. The other instructs his workers to cut off 99% ripe or not.
       I imagine farmers who caught the spirit of the law God spoke, decided profit wasn't his biggest concern and allowed many the chance to be blessed when they had no hope. I imagine God sees and takes note of these people and blesses their vineyards and fields beyond the norm. You see God has a way of taking our faith and obedience and correct application of his laws(understanding a heart for provision rather than the most I can acquire for me) and offering us more than we expect.
       Do we just keep the rules or see the heart behind the bigger picture? Do we just look at our bottom line profit margin or do we live a life of contentment which allows room to give? God is proclaiming these rules because he wants to shape his people to see life a certain way. That's the challenge for all of us, to see things God's way.