Leviticus 27:1-8: a reflection

1The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2“Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them, ‘When a man consecrates a person to the LORD in a vow, according to your valuation, 3your valuation of a male from twenty years old to sixty years old shall be fifty shekels of silver, according to the shekel of the sanctuary. 4If she is a female, then your valuation shall be thirty shekels. 5If the person is from five years old to twenty years old, then your valuation shall be for a male twenty shekels, and for a female ten shekels. 6If the person is from a month old to five years old, then your valuation shall be for a male five shekels of silver, and for a female your valuation shall be three shekels of silver. 7If the person is from sixty years old and upward; if he is a male, then your valuation shall be fifteen shekels, and for a female ten shekels. 8But if he is poorer than your valuation, then he shall be set before the priest, and the priest shall assign a value to him. The priest shall assign a value according to his ability to pay.

In the laws about vows, God makes a gracious provision that no one, however poor, would be prevented from fulfilling a vow, for the priest would assign a value according to what the person was able to pay. If he is poorer than your valuation, the law says, then he shall be set before the priest, and the priest shall assign a value to him according to his ability to pay. The standard valuations for vows were set; but for the poor, who could not meet them, a special provision was made: the priest would assign a value according to their ability, so that poverty would not shut them out. God does not require of us beyond our ability, but according to what we are able. This shows that God requires of us according to our ability, not beyond it. God requires according to our ability, not beyond it. The poor were not shut out; their value was set by ability. God does not demand of us what we cannot give. God's requirements are calibrated to our capacity, not beyond it.

Notice the graciousness of this provision. The law set standard valuations for those who made a vow to consecrate a person to God; but not everyone could afford the standard amount. And so a special provision was made for the poor: rather than being shut out because they could not pay the standard valuation, the poor person would be brought before the priest, who would assign a value according to their ability to pay. God did not require of the poor what they could not give; he made a way for them to fulfill their vow according to their means. This reveals something about how God deals with us. He does not require of us beyond our ability, demanding what we cannot give; he calibrates his requirements to our capacity, asking according to what we are able. This is a comfort and a guide. We need not fear that God demands of us what we cannot give, more than we are able; he asks according to our ability, not beyond it. And it guides how we understand our giving and service to God: not by comparison with what others can give, or by some fixed standard beyond our means, but according to what we ourselves are able. God receives what we are able to give, and does not demand beyond it. We do well to give and serve God according to our ability, without fear that he demands more than we can give. God requires according to our ability, not beyond what we can give. Do not fear that God demands more than you are able. Give and serve God according to your capacity, not by comparison with others. God receives what we can give, and does not demand the impossible.

That is worth taking to heart, for God requires of us according to our ability, not beyond it, and we do well to give and serve him according to what we are able, without fear that he demands the impossible. We can fear that God demands of us more than we can give, comparing ourselves to others or to some fixed standard beyond our means; but God made provision that the poor could fulfill their vows according to their ability, not shutting them out. God asks according to our capacity. Do not fear that God demands more than you can give; give and serve him according to your ability, trusting that he receives it. Give and serve God according to your ability, without fear that he demands more than you can give, for God, in the laws about vows, made a gracious provision that no one, however poor, would be prevented from fulfilling a vow, since the priest would assign a value according to what the person was able to pay; for the standard valuations were set, but for the poor who could not meet them a special provision was made, that they would be brought before the priest who would assign a value according to their ability, so that poverty would not shut them out, which reveals something about how God deals with us, that he does not require of us beyond our ability, demanding what we cannot give, but calibrates his requirements to our capacity, asking according to what we are able, which is a comfort and a guide, since we need not fear that God demands of us more than we can give, and it guides how we understand our giving and service to God, not by comparison with what others can give or by some fixed standard beyond our means but according to what we ourselves are able, so that God receives what we are able to give and does not demand beyond it, and we do well to give and serve God according to our ability, without fear that he demands more than we can give.

Lord, in the laws about vows, you make a gracious provision that no one, however poor, would be prevented from fulfilling a vow, for the priest would assign a value according to what the person was able to pay. If he is poorer than your valuation, the law says, then he shall be set before the priest, and the priest shall assign a value to him according to his ability to pay. The standard valuations were set; but for the poor, who could not meet them, a special provision was made: the priest would assign a value according to their ability, so that poverty would not shut them out. You do not require of us beyond our ability, but according to what we are able. Show me the graciousness of this provision. The law set standard valuations; but not everyone could afford them. And so a special provision was made for the poor: rather than being shut out, the poor person would be brought before the priest, who would assign a value according to their ability to pay. You did not require of the poor what they could not give; you made a way for them according to their means. This reveals something about how you deal with me. You do not require of me beyond my ability, demanding what I cannot give; you calibrate your requirements to my capacity, asking according to what I am able. This is a comfort and a guide. I need not fear that you demand of me what I cannot give, more than I am able; you ask according to my ability. And it guides how I understand my giving and service to you: not by comparison with what others can give, or by some fixed standard beyond my means, but according to what I myself am able. Take that to my heart, for you require of me according to my ability, not beyond it. Keep me from fearing that you demand more than I can give; help me give and serve you according to my ability, Lord, without comparing myself to others or to a standard beyond my means, trusting that you receive what I am able to give and do not demand the impossible.