Leviticus 25:35-43: a reflection

35“‘If your brother has become poor, and his hand can’t support himself among you, then you shall uphold him. He shall live with you like an alien and a temporary resident. 36Take no interest from him or profit; but fear your God, that your brother may live among you. 37You shall not lend him your money at interest, nor give him your food for profit. 38I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan, and to be your God. 39“‘If your brother has grown poor among you, and sells himself to you, you shall not make him to serve as a slave. 40As a hired servant, and as a temporary resident, he shall be with you; he shall serve with you until the Year of Jubilee. 41Then he shall go out from you, he and his children with him, and shall return to his own family, and to the possession of his fathers. 42For they are my servants, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt. They shall not be sold as slaves. 43You shall not rule over him with harshness, but shall fear your God.

These laws concern how to treat a fellow Israelite who has fallen into poverty. You shall uphold him, God says; take no interest or profit from him, but fear your God, that your brother may live among you. If he must sell himself to you, do not make him a slave or rule over him with harshness, but treat him as a hired worker, for they are my servants. The poor were to be helped with generosity and treated with dignity, not exploited in their weakness.

Notice the concern of these laws: not to exploit the poor in their need, but to uphold them with dignity. When a brother fell into poverty, others were not to take advantage of his weakness, charging him interest, profiting from his need, treating him harshly. They were to uphold him, to help him, to treat him with the dignity of one who, like them, belonged to God. The poor were not to be exploited because they were vulnerable, but helped because they were fellow servants of God.

That concern for the dignity of the poor, and against exploiting their weakness, is worth carrying into our own dealings. It is easy to take advantage of those in need, to profit from their weakness, to treat the vulnerable harshly because they cannot resist. But God calls his people to uphold the poor with generosity and to treat them with dignity, remembering that they too belong to God. Do not exploit the weakness of those in need, profiting from their desperation or treating them harshly because they cannot resist. Uphold the poor with generosity, and treat the vulnerable with dignity, as those who, like you, belong to God. The poor are not to be exploited in their weakness, but helped and honored; let your dealings with those in need be marked by the generosity and dignity these laws command, remembering that they, like you, are God's, and fearing the God who watches how the vulnerable are treated.

Lord, these laws concern how to treat a fellow Israelite fallen into poverty: uphold him, take no interest or profit, do not rule over him with harshness, but fear your God, for they are my servants. Show me their concern: not to exploit the poor in their need, but to uphold them with dignity. It is easy to take advantage of those in need, to profit from their weakness, to treat the vulnerable harshly because they cannot resist. But you call your people to uphold the poor with generosity and to treat them with dignity, remembering that they too belong to you. Keep me from exploiting the weakness of those in need, profiting from their desperation or treating them harshly because they cannot resist. Help me uphold the poor with generosity, and treat the vulnerable with dignity, as those who, like me, belong to you. The poor are not to be exploited in their weakness, but helped and honored; let my dealings with those in need be marked by the generosity and dignity these laws command, remembering that they, like me, are yours, and fearing you, who watch how the vulnerable are treated. Make me generous and just toward the poor, Lord.