Today In The Word / Moody Bible Institute Gleaning as Provision Read Leviticus 19; Deuteronomy 24:19-22 Do not use dishonest standards when measuring length, weight or quantity. Leviticus 19:35 In his speech “All Labor Has Dignity,” Martin Luther King Jr. argued that hard work was worthy of respect. “So often we overlook the worth and significance of those who are not in professional jobs, or those who are not in the so-called big jobs. But let me say to you tonight, that whenever you are engaged in work that serves humanity, and is for the building of humanity, it has dignity, and it has worth. … For the person who picks up our garbage, in the final analysis, is as significant as the physician. All labor has worth.” Our reading today in Leviticus 19 contains rules for a broad range of scenarios, some directly applicable to labor. As we’ve seen before, God’s people should be characterized by honesty, not practices that rip off unsuspecting customers (vv. 35–36). Partiality and favoritism should be replaced by justice (v. 15). The practice of gleaning is mentioned in verses 9 and 10 and then reinforced in Deuteronomy 24:19–22. Farmers were commanded to gather their harvest in such a way that there was work left to be done by the poor who needed to secure food for themselves. This practice not only allowed people access to grains and grapes, it also allowed them the dignity of engaging in meaningful labor. Gleaning required farmers and landowners to practice generosity (not gathering all the crops for themselves) and compassion (providing work for the poor and foreigners). As we noted at the beginning of our study, work is a fundamental part of God’s design for human flourishing. Note the concluding phrase at the end of verse 10: “I am the LORD your God.” Providing worthwhile labor for people is connected to God’s own identity, and is one way to bring Him glory. The practice of gleaning doesn’t seem very efficient, and it’s certainly not geared around maximizing profits for the business owner. And yet it’s a way of acknowledging who truly owns everything—God. Consider the principle of gleaning and how it might apply in your own life. Are there ways to build margin into your work that would benefit others?
Posted on: Tue, 22 Jul 2014 12:15:15 +0000
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