My husband Ken and I are reading the Bible through in a year, and sometime back, we were reading through the book of Leviticus. When we were in the 19th chapter, we came across verse 14… it was very interesting! God was laying down a list of laws for His people and in this verse, He said, “Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind, but fear your God. I am the Lord.”
“What a strange thing for God to say,” Ken said. “Do not curse the deaf?” Even if you did bad-mouth a deaf person, he wouldn’t be able to hear it, right? After all, a deaf person can’t hear! And if you put a stumbling block in front of a blind person, he wouldn’t be able to see it, right? What’s God saying?
First, He is saying that He takes the side of the poor, He takes the side of the lame, and those who are deaf or blind. Isn’t that good news? He’s the guardian and He is proud to be protector of those who are weak and infirmed. Now that’s important to note. When you read the Bible, you never see God taking the side, as it were, of influential people of wealth, or position, or power and noble birth. Instead, He underscores that He is the guardian of the disabled, the deaf, and the blind and those who are poor. God takes the position of their advocate, which literally means to “give voice to those who have no voice.” But is there a broader application of Leviticus 19:14?
Yes, there is: it’s not just about putting rocks in front of blind people or gossiping next to someone who is deaf and can’t hear. God wants you to grasp the fact that He hears your hurtful comments, even though others are out of earshot. God sees your mischievous behavior, even though others cannot observe what you’re doing. God says in Numbers 32:23 that “… you will be sinning against the Lord; you may be sure that your sin will find you out.” Though the people you are plotting against or gossiping about may not be aware of your malice, but God is, He’s aware. It’s why He says in today’s verse, “Fear God. I am the Lord.”
He sees… He knows. And He enjoys being the Guardian and Protector of those with special needs. So, today, find a way you can take the side of the poor, the elderly, the widow, or the orphan or the disabled. It could be very simple. For instance, several couples at my church take turns on Sunday morning to driving to a local Alzheimer’s residential center to pick up Mr. and Mrs. Hill, an elderly couple who are separated from their family. These friends from my church are true advocates… they are guardians… they are protectors… and they’re doing it all in the spirit of Leviticus 19… they’re doing it all in the Spirit of the Living God. The best part is, you can, too!
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JONI AND FRIENDS
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