The practice of making restitution is an important part
of God’s Law. While vengeance is the way
the world handles theft and injustice, the Lord pointed His people to restoring
that which was lost. However,
restitution does not stop there.
Restitution pays beyond what was taken. Often the amount is double, but sometimes
more. It was given from the best the one
making restitution had. And it was truly
a punishment that fit the crime.
I try to not get too political. I have plenty of political opinions (just ask
my wife and kids!), but I don’t like to let something like politics interfere
with the proclamation of the Gospel.
Disclaimer being given, I can’t help but think that this idea of
restitution is something we have lost these days, and we are the worse for
it. The classic example of what I’m
talking about here is the 1994 court case, Liebeck v. McDonald’s in which a
woman was badly burned by hot coffee.
She was awarded $2.86 million dollars.
If McDonald’s was negligent in their coffee heating and
serving, applying the passages we just read, it would be right to make
restitution. $2.86 million seems a
little steep.
Instead of restoration and restitution, we’ve become
punitive and vengeful. There is no
dignity for the victim or the perpetrator in our litigious legal system. Both come out as crooks and money
grubbers. And there is much in the first
half of our reading that expands upon the 7th Commandment, “You
shall not steal.”*
After v. 16, along with the first part of chapter 23, God
talks about social justice. Some of this
section deals with the 6th Commandment, “You shall not commit
adultery.” Some deals with the 1st
Commandment, “You shall have no other gods.”
We would classify God’s laws regarding oppression, caring for widows and
orphans, and lending under the 5th Commandment, “You shall not
kill,” because these things deal with our neighbor’s physical wellbeing, and we
desire to, “help and support him in every physical need.” (Luther’s Small Catechism) There are obvious connections to the 7th
Commandment as well. Other sections can
be tied to other Commandments, also.
While we no longer adhere to all these laws – we no
longer execute those who practice sorcery, or those who participate in
bestiality – there is still value here for us to understand how practical and
real-world God’s commands are. (By the
way, have you ever read a devotion that mentions bestiality before? I don’t think I have.) He dealt with things that were/are real.
Part of our challenge as modern day Christians is to
learn to speak God’s Word, Law and Gospel, to real-world situations too. God’s forgiveness impacts our lives in
practical ways, and not merely in personal or hypothetical ways. If you don’t do so already, begin to look for
where God’s Word speaks to you and makes a difference in the way you live, the
things you hope for, and the desires of your heart.
Father in Heaven,
open Your Word to me that I may live Your ways; forgiven and forgiving. Amen.
*A brief note about commandment numbering: The Ten Commandments have been numbered
differently by groups across history.
The main difference is in whether one sees a division between having
gods and making images (the beginning of the Commandments), or if one sees a
division in the list of things we are not to covet (the end of the
Commandments). If your denomination has,
“You shall not make a graven image,” as the 2nd Commandment, then
add one to each of the Commandment numbers mentioned above (except the 1st
Commandment), and they’ll match what you’re used to.
Comments