Deuteronomy 23:15-20: a reflection

15You shall not deliver to his master a servant who has escaped from his master to you. 16He shall dwell with you, among you, in the place which he shall choose within one of your gates, where it pleases him best. You shall not oppress him. 17There shall be no prostitute of the daughters of Israel, neither shall there be a sodomite of the sons of Israel. 18You shall not bring the hire of a prostitute, or the wages of a male prostitute, into the house of the LORD your God for any vow; for both of these are an abomination to the LORD your God. 19You shall not lend on interest to your brother: interest of money, interest of food, interest of anything that is lent on interest. 20You may charge a foreigner interest; but you shall not charge your brother interest, that the LORD your God may bless you in all that you put your hand to, in the land where you go in to possess it.

Among these laws is one that shows God's concern for the vulnerable: If a servant escapes from his master and comes to you, you shall not hand him back; he shall dwell with you, wherever it pleases him, and you shall not oppress him. In a world where an escaped servant might expect to be returned to his master, God's law commanded instead that he be given refuge, allowed to settle safely, and not oppressed. God's concern was for the one fleeing oppression, that he find safety, not be sent back to it.

Notice God's concern here: for the one fleeing oppression, that he find refuge and safety. The escaped servant, who might have been returned to his master, was instead to be given refuge, to dwell safely wherever he chose, and not to be oppressed. God's law took the side of the vulnerable one fleeing oppression, providing that he find safety rather than be handed back. The fleeing, the vulnerable, the one seeking refuge, was to be protected, not oppressed or returned to harm.

That concern for the one fleeing oppression, that they find refuge, is worth taking to heart. We can be indifferent to the vulnerable who flee oppression or hardship, or even complicit in sending them back to it. But God's law provided refuge for the fleeing servant, that he find safety and not be oppressed. God's heart is for the vulnerable who seek refuge, that they find safety, not harm. Let your heart be shaped by God's concern for the one fleeing oppression: do not be indifferent to the vulnerable who seek refuge, or complicit in sending them back to harm; provide refuge and safety where you can, and do not oppress the vulnerable who come to you. God commanded refuge for the fleeing servant, and refused their oppression; let his concern for the vulnerable seeking safety shape your own, so that you give refuge rather than harm to those who flee oppression and seek safety, as God's law commanded refuge, not oppression, for the escaped servant.

Lord, among these laws is one that shows your concern for the vulnerable: if a servant escapes from his master and comes to you, you shall not hand him back; he shall dwell with you, wherever it pleases him, and you shall not oppress him. In a world where an escaped servant might expect to be returned, your law commanded refuge instead. Show me your concern here: for the one fleeing oppression, that he find refuge and safety, not be sent back to harm. Your law took the side of the vulnerable one fleeing oppression. Take that concern to my heart. I can be indifferent to the vulnerable who flee oppression or hardship, or even complicit in sending them back to it. But your law provided refuge for the fleeing servant, that he find safety and not be oppressed. Your heart is for the vulnerable who seek refuge, that they find safety, not harm. Let my heart be shaped by your concern for the one fleeing oppression: keep me from being indifferent to the vulnerable who seek refuge, or complicit in sending them back to harm; help me provide refuge and safety where I can, and not oppress the vulnerable who come to me. You commanded refuge for the fleeing servant, Lord; let your concern for the vulnerable seeking safety shape my own, so that I give refuge rather than harm to those who flee oppression.