A Helping Hand 伸出援手
Dexu Xia
Help [the poor] as you would a foreigner and stranger, so they can continue to live among you. Leviticus 25:35
Today's Scripture Leviticus 25:35-38
Today's Insights Every seven years, the people of Israel and all who lived with them were to stop their agricultural pursuits and live off only what the ground yielded (Leviticus 25:1-7). This was called the Sabbath Year. They let the land rest and enjoyed the fruit of that rest for a full year as they depended on God to provide for them.
In addition, every fifty years (after the seventh sabbath year), they observed the Year of Jubilee (vv. 8-55). Not only were the people to let the land rest, but they were also to cancel all debts across the nation and return all ancestral property to the families and tribes to whom it originally belonged. The Year of Jubilee compassionately prevented families from getting stuck in cycles of poverty so that all God’s people could enjoy the blessings of the land that He alone had given them.
Today's Devotional In the early 1900s, laws restricted Black people and immigrants in the United States from renting or buying property in Coronado, California. A Black man named Gus Thompson (who'd been born into slavery) had purchased land earlier and built a boarding home in Coronado before the discriminating laws were passed. In 1939, Gus rented to an Asian family, and eventually sold the land to them. Nearly eighty-five years later, after selling the property, some members of the Asian family are donating their proceeds from the sale to help Black college students. They’re also working to name a center at San Diego State University after Gus and his wife, Emma.
Leviticus also speaks of what it means to treat others well. God instructed His people, “Help [the poor] as you would a foreigner and stranger, so they can continue to live among you” (25:35). He instructed the people to treat each other well and fairly, especially those in need. Out of reverent “fear” (v. 36) for Him, they were to help those who’d fallen on hard times and weren’t able to take care of themselves. They were to treat them just as they would treat a “foreigner and stranger” (v. 35)—with hospitality and love.
Gus Thompson and his wife helped a family that didn’t look like them. In return, that family is blessing many other people. Let’s extend God’s compassion to those in need as He helps us reveal His love for them.
Reflect & Pray Who needs help in your community? How can you extend care to them?
Caring Father, please open my eyes so I can see how to help others.
By Katara Patton
你的弟兄在你那里若渐渐贫穷，手中缺乏，你就要帮他，使他与你同住，像外邦人和寄居的一样。利未记 25:35
今日经文 利未记 25章35-38 节
今日心得 每七年，以色列人和所有寄居在他们那里的人都要休耕一年，只靠地里自长的为生（利未记 25:1-7）。这一年被称为安息年。在这整整一年，他们要让土地休养，单单依靠上帝的供应，享受休耕土地自产的果实。此外，每五十年（第七个安息年之后），他们要守禧年（8-55节）。在禧年，人民不仅要让土地休养，还要免除全国所有的债务，并将所有祖传的财产归还给原先的家族和支派。禧年充满慈悲，使所有神的子民都能享受神赐给各人的土地的祝福。
今日灵修 20世纪初，美国法律禁止黑人和移民在加州的科罗纳多租房或买房。一位名叫格斯·汤普森（生于奴隶家庭）的黑人男子，在歧视性法律通过之前，在科罗纳多购买了土地并建造了一座寄宿公寓。1939年，格斯将此产业租给一个亚裔家庭，最终又卖给他们。约八十五年后，这个亚裔家庭的一些成员出售了这产业，将所得的售款捐赠给黑人大学生。他们还在努力，以格斯和他的妻子艾玛的名字，命名圣地亚哥州立大学的一个中心。
利未记也谈到了善待他人的意义。上帝指示祂的子民：“你们要帮助穷人，使他们可以与你们同住，因为你们也曾经在外邦作寄居的”（25:35）。祂指示百姓要以仁慈和公平彼此相待，尤其要善待那些需要帮助的人。他们要出于对上帝的敬畏（36节）来帮助那些陷入困境、无法照顾自己的人。他们要像对待“在外邦寄居的”（35节）那样，热情好客，充满爱心。格斯·汤普森和他的妻子帮助了一个与他们截然不同的家庭。作为回报，这个家庭也造福了许多其他人。让我们将上帝的怜悯传递给那些需要帮助的人，因为上帝会帮助我们彰显祂对他们的爱。
反思与祷告：你的社区里有谁需要帮助？你如何关怀他们？慈爱的天父，请开启我的眼睛，让我明白如何帮助他人。 作者：卡塔拉·巴顿