Leviticus 13:29-37: a reflection

29“When a man or woman has a plague on the head or on the beard, 30then the priest shall examine the plague; and behold, if its appearance is deeper than the skin, and the hair in it is yellow and thin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean. It is an itch. It is leprosy of the head or of the beard. 31If the priest examines the plague of itching, and behold, its appearance isn’t deeper than the skin, and there is no black hair in it, then the priest shall isolate the person infected with itching seven days. 32On the seventh day the priest shall examine the plague; and behold, if the itch hasn’t spread, and there is no yellow hair in it, and the appearance of the itch isn’t deeper than the skin, 33then he shall be shaved, but he shall not shave the itch. Then the priest shall isolate the one who has the itch seven more days. 34On the seventh day, the priest shall examine the itch; and behold, if the itch hasn’t spread in the skin, and its appearance isn’t deeper than the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him clean. He shall wash his clothes and be clean. 35But if the itch spreads in the skin after his cleansing, 36then the priest shall examine him; and behold, if the itch has spread in the skin, the priest shall not look for the yellow hair; he is unclean. 37But if in his eyes the itch is arrested and black hair has grown in it, then the itch is healed. He is clean. The priest shall pronounce him clean.

These verses describe the priest's examination of another skin condition, and what stands out is the patience of the process. The priest examines, and if he cannot yet tell, he isolates the person for seven days and looks again; and if still uncertain, isolates them for seven more days and looks a third time. The process is unhurried, patient, giving time for the truth to become clear, rather than rushing to a hasty judgment either way. Discernment, here, takes time.

Notice the patience built into the process: waiting, watching, examining again over time, rather than judging hastily. The priest did not have to declare clean or unclean at once; he could wait, isolate, look again, giving the condition time to reveal itself, before pronouncing judgment. This patience guarded against both hasty condemnation and premature clearing; the truth was allowed to become clear over time, through patient, repeated examination.

That patient, unhurried discernment is a wisdom worth carrying into our own judgments, of situations and of ourselves. We are often quick to judge, rushing to a conclusion before the truth is clear, condemning or clearing hastily. But the priest's process was patient: waiting, watching, examining again over time, rather than judging at once. When you must discern something, whether a situation, a person, or the state of your own soul, do not rush to a hasty judgment; give it time, watch and examine patiently, letting the truth become clear over time. Hasty judgment often errs; patient discernment, giving time for the truth to become clear, is wiser. Learn from the priest's unhurried process: be patient in discernment, willing to wait and watch rather than rushing to judgment, so that you may discern truly, as the truth becomes clear over time, rather than erring through haste.

Lord, these verses describe the priest's patient examination of a skin condition: examining, and if uncertain, isolating for seven days and looking again, and again, giving time for the truth to become clear rather than rushing to a hasty judgment. Give me that patient, unhurried discernment for my own judgments, of situations and of myself. I am often quick to judge, rushing to a conclusion before the truth is clear, condemning or clearing hastily. But the priest's process was patient: waiting, watching, examining again over time, rather than judging at once. When I must discern something, whether a situation, a person, or the state of my own soul, keep me from rushing to a hasty judgment; help me give it time, watch and examine patiently, letting the truth become clear over time. Hasty judgment often errs; patient discernment, giving time for the truth to become clear, is wiser. Help me learn from the priest's unhurried process: to be patient in discernment, willing to wait and watch rather than rushing to judgment, so that I may discern truly, Lord, as the truth becomes clear over time, rather than erring through haste. Make me patient in discernment.