Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“For six years you shall sow your land and gather in its yield; but the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, so that the poor of your people may eat; and what they leave the wild animals may eat. You shall do the same with your vineyard, and with your olive orchard.”
NL Daily Devotion for Saturday, June 25, 2022
by R. M. Fergus, Clergy Stuff
We don’t do rest very well as a society. Well, speaking for the U.S., I guess. Lots of other places do a far better job of this. But here, we push and push and try to wring every last drop of time, money, things, validation, you-name-it out of life, which leaves no time to just “be.”
This law of Moses holds incredible wisdom. Not only do the people rest every seven days, but the land rests every seven years. This is not only agriculturally sound practice, but here it carries a spiritual and societal significance—do this so that others may have what they need, too. Instead of trying to wring every last drop out of your land for yourself, let it rest and share your abundance with those who have little. This is only one of many laws concerning the care and wellbeing of others who don’t have fields and vineyards and olive orchards. Moses got that it was the responsibility of the whole community to make sure everyone’s needs were met. We need to do better at this today.
Where do I see connections between rest and caring for others?