TEXT: Leviticus 25:35–55
“And if thy brother be waxen poor, and fallen in decay with thee; then thou shalt relieve him...” (Leviticus 25:35).
As we go about our daily affairs, many of us can hardly spare a moment for the person next door. The rat-race has so consumed a lot of us that what happens to the next person does not matter. We care not about our kinsmen not to talk of others. Many of us cannot even spare a moment for our suffering fellow pilgrims.
Unfortunately, many of our brethren suffer because of our indifference. God is drawing our attention to such situations. He says, “If thy brother (that includes sisters too) be waxen poor... then thou shalt relieve him.” God is talking first about our brethren in the household of faith. He says, there will always be poor people around us. But what does He expect us to do concerning the poor among us? Relieve him or her.
There are those who are indebted to us and cannot pay. We are not expected to continue to press them for the repayment. God says, “Relieve him.” Some of us put our neighbours into perpetual poverty because, we lend to them on interest. They are never able to pay off because of the inhuman high interest rate. God says relieve them. You should not lend with interest to your brother, you are not to exploit your brother.
God expects that you will not allow your brother to serve with rigour or in slavish condition with another person. You are expected to redeem him. How can you watch an unbeliever turn your fellow believer to a slave? Relieve him: your brother cannot be slave to you not to talk of any other person because he is a servant and child of God.
Look around today and find those you are to relieve and do it immediately. God wants you to help your brother and bring him out of bondage.
Thought for today: The merciful shall obtain mercy.
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