Ezra 10.17 ...and
by the first day of the first month they finished dealing with all the men who
had married foreign women. – Ezra, the Priest
Today, as I read Ezra 9 and 10, I wanted to do as Ezra
did: “I tore my tunic and cloak, pulled
hair from my head and beard and sat down appalled…” I wasn’t as distressed
by what they did, as I was at how they chose to deal with what had happened.
The events of Ezra’s time were some 2500 years ago. I’m
an American, some 2500 years later. They were a culture governed by the Law of
God and I am governed by the mercy and grace of God. They were forbidden by
their law from intermarriage with non-Israelis. But they intermarried and broke
the Law of God. Now what!?
Ezra the priest commanded them to “put away” their foreign wives. That meant divorce them and get rid
of them. I’m not them, but I do know: two
wrongs don’t make a right. I know they did what they thought they had to
do, but to turn women, and children away because of their mistake is wrong.
Commitment to God at the level of disenfranchisement of others is wrong. I
read this and can't begin to imagine the emotional trauma.
The other thing I can’t imagine is the lengths we go to
do what we think is right. And we do it all the time. What they did was wrong,
but sending the women and kids away is wrong as well – who would care for them?
Did they give their divorcees the then equivalent of alimony and child-support?
I am glad the Bible shares this kind of stuff because it
underscores our need for God. We too, non-Jews in our day, need God to show us
what to do. But it needs to happen long before we start making stupid mistakes
at the expense of others. Like Ezra, I am appalled.
The lesson for me today is simply this: God, show me what to do and when (and how)
to do it so I don’t find myself engaging in the practice of trying to cover up
one wrong with another for the sake of trying to please You. Scrambled eggs
cannot be un-scrambled.
My goal today is not to vilify obvious poor behavior and
poor decision making on the part of these ancients – I wasn’t there and I am
not them. But I am me and I do stupid things that result in pain to others.
There is something to be said for repentance, but it must include restitution if
possible, and for forgiveness always. My goal is to learn from their mistakes
and try not to make the same mistakes.
The right thing to do is to do what is right to in an
attempt to prevent stupidity and hurt; and to be wise in the future when
stupidity happens. Because, stupidity happens. That’s why I need God. That’s
why the crucible of pain is so important in prevention of future stupidity. My
goal is to be humble and wise and allow God to help me in my relationships with
my fellow man. I’m responsible to
them, I’m responsible for me.
Father, this
account in Ezra scares the crap out of me because I know what I am capable of.
Help me to walk humbly at your side and to try to do to others as I would have
them do to me. Repeated wrongs never make right, and I ask Your help and
guidance in avoiding the wrongs; and Your courage in doing what is right when
wrongs happen. Amen
No comments:
Post a Comment