Exodus 22:6-13: a reflection

6“If fire breaks out, and catches in thorns so that the shocks of grain, or the standing grain, or the field are consumed; he who kindled the fire shall surely make restitution. 7“If a man delivers to his neighbor money or stuff to keep, and it is stolen out of the man’s house, if the thief is found, he shall pay double. 8If the thief isn’t found, then the master of the house shall come near to God, to find out whether or not he has put his hand on his neighbor’s goods. 9For every matter of trespass, whether it is for ox, for donkey, for sheep, for clothing, or for any kind of lost thing, about which one says, ‘This is mine,’ the cause of both parties shall come before God. He whom God condemns shall pay double to his neighbor. 10“If a man delivers to his neighbor a donkey, an ox, a sheep, or any animal to keep, and it dies or is injured, or driven away, no man seeing it; 11the oath of the LORD shall be between them both, he has not put his hand on his neighbor’s goods; and its owner shall accept it, and he shall not make restitution. 12But if it is stolen from him, the one who stole shall make restitution to its owner. 13If it is torn in pieces, let him bring it for evidence. He shall not make good that which was torn.

These laws deal with matters of trust and responsibility: what happens when a fire someone kindled spreads and destroys another's field, when goods entrusted to a neighbor are lost or stolen, when an animal in one's keeping dies or is injured. Running through them is a concern for responsibility and making things right: the one who caused loss was to make restitution, and the one entrusted with another's goods was to deal honestly about what happened to them. Where a person's action caused another loss, they were to make it good; where they were entrusted with something, they were to be faithful with it.

Notice the principles at work: responsibility for the harm we cause, and faithfulness with what is entrusted to us. If a person's fire spread and destroyed a neighbor's field, they were to make restitution; the loss they caused was theirs to make right. And if they were entrusted with a neighbor's goods, they were to deal honestly and faithfully with them. The laws take seriously both our responsibility for the harm we cause others and our faithfulness with what is placed in our trust; we are to make things right when we cause loss, and to be faithful with what is entrusted to us.

Those principles are worth taking to heart, for they touch our own dealings with others. We can cause loss or harm to others, whether by carelessness or wrong; and the call is to take responsibility, to make things right, not to shrug it off. And we are entrusted with things by others, and are to be faithful with them, dealing honestly. Take responsibility for the harm you cause others, making things right rather than shrugging it off, as the one whose fire spread was to make restitution. And be faithful with what is entrusted to you, dealing honestly with it, as the law required of one entrusted with a neighbor's goods. Let integrity mark your dealings: taking responsibility for the loss you cause and making it right, and being faithful with what others place in your trust, as these laws called for responsibility and faithfulness in dealings between neighbors.

Lord, these laws deal with matters of trust and responsibility: what happens when a fire someone kindled spreads and destroys another's field, when goods entrusted to a neighbor are lost or stolen, when an animal in one's keeping dies or is injured. Running through them is a concern for responsibility and making things right: the one who caused loss was to make restitution, and the one entrusted with another's goods was to deal honestly. Show me the principles at work: responsibility for the harm I cause, and faithfulness with what is entrusted to me. If a person's fire spread and destroyed a neighbor's field, they were to make restitution; the loss they caused was theirs to make right. And if entrusted with a neighbor's goods, they were to deal honestly. The laws take seriously both my responsibility for the harm I cause others and my faithfulness with what is placed in my trust. Take those principles to my heart, for they touch my own dealings with others. I can cause loss or harm to others, whether by carelessness or wrong; and the call is to take responsibility, to make things right, not to shrug it off. And I am entrusted with things by others, and am to be faithful with them. Help me take responsibility for the harm I cause others, making things right rather than shrugging it off; and help me be faithful with what is entrusted to me, dealing honestly with it. Let integrity mark my dealings, Lord: taking responsibility for the loss I cause and making it right, and being faithful with what others place in my trust.