Exodus 21:12-16: a reflection

12“One who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death, 13but not if it is unintentional, but God allows it to happen; then I will appoint you a place where he shall flee. 14If a man schemes and comes presumptuously on his neighbor to kill him, you shall take him from my altar, that he may die. 15“Anyone who attacks his father or his mother shall be surely put to death. 16“Anyone who kidnaps someone and sells him, or if he is found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.

Among these laws about serious offenses, one distinction stands out: the difference between deliberate and accidental killing. One who strikes another so that he dies is to be put to death; but if it was not intended, if it happened without design, God provides a place of refuge to which such a person may flee. The law distinguishes carefully between the one who kills with deliberate intent and the one who kills without meaning to; intent makes all the difference.

Notice the careful distinction the law makes: between deliberate and accidental. The one who schemes and kills with intent bears the full consequence; but the one who causes a death without intending it is treated differently, given a place of refuge. God's justice looks not only at the outward act, but at the intent behind it; the same outward result, a death, is judged differently depending on whether it was deliberate or accidental. Intent matters to God's justice.

That God's justice weighs intent, not only outward acts, is worth taking to heart. We can judge others, and ourselves, only by outward results, without regard to intent; but God's justice looks deeper, weighing the heart, the intent behind the act. The one who did harm without meaning to is not judged the same as the one who did it deliberately. This is both a comfort and a caution. A comfort, that God judges justly, weighing our intent, not condemning the accidental as the deliberate. And a caution, that God sees the intent of our hearts, the deliberate scheming as well as the outward act. Judge others, as God judges, with regard to intent, not only outward results; and know that God judges you the same way, weighing the intent of your heart. God's justice weighs the heart, distinguishing the deliberate from the accidental; take comfort that he judges justly, and take care that the intent of your heart, not only your outward acts, is right before him.

Lord, among these laws one distinction stands out: between deliberate and accidental killing; the one who kills with intent bears the full consequence, but the one who causes a death without meaning to is given a place of refuge. Your justice looks not only at the outward act, but at the intent behind it. Help me take to heart that your justice weighs intent, not only outward acts. I can judge others, and myself, only by outward results, without regard to intent; but your justice looks deeper, weighing the heart, the intent behind the act. This is both a comfort and a caution. A comfort, that you judge justly, weighing my intent, not condemning the accidental as the deliberate. And a caution, that you see the intent of my heart, the deliberate scheming as well as the outward act. Help me judge others, as you judge, with regard to intent, not only outward results; and help me know that you judge me the same way, weighing the intent of my heart. Your justice weighs the heart, distinguishing the deliberate from the accidental; let me take comfort that you judge justly, Lord, and take care that the intent of my heart, not only my outward acts, is right before you. Search the intent of my heart, and make it right.