February - 5
I DIDN’T MEAN TO DO IT
“If the whole Israelite community sins unintentionally . . .”Leviticus 4:13
When some people told you their tragic story, it haunted you. You contacted the deacons of your church, and they too were convinced that these people needed help. So your church spent many hours and dollars on them, eager to show Christ’s compassion. Then came a telephone call from another church down the road: “Were you approached by desperately needy people?”
Con artists working your part of the city had taken you for a ride. Though the deacons had received instruction about such people at a training session just three months ago, they’d been careless with their responsibility. Of course, they didn’t mean to do it.
Carelessness of an individual (4:3, 22, 27) or a group (4:13) exposes the people of God to shame and defiles the community God has chosen as his dwelling place.
But wasn’t it just a mistake? The church leaders knew better; they’d been instructed. So they were responsible, like Joshua and his associates who’d been taken in by the Gibeonites (Joshua 9:16-21). Our carelessness can dishonor the whole people of God, the community that represents the presence of God.
The sin offering purifies God’s dwelling place, dealing with the sin of the individual or the community. It removes the stain, but the consequences of careless leadership remain—a reminder of folly.
PRAYER
Lord, purify us from everything that contaminates body and spirit; perfect our holiness out of reverence for Christ. Help us discern wisdom from folly, for your sake. Amen.
有些人来到你面前，把他们悲惨的遭遇告诉你，你听了以后，心中十分不安，很想帮助他们。于是，你联络教会的执事，他们亦同样深信这些人很需要帮助。于是，你的教会在他们身上花了许多时间和金钱，热切地向他们展示基督的怜悯。不久，你的教会接到附近另一间教会的电话，说：「是否有一些有迫切需要的人来找你们？」
你们被城中的骗子欺骗了。虽然教会的执事在三个月前才参加了一个训练课程，教导他们如何对待这些人，但他们却没有好好地尽自己的责任。当然，这是他们的无心之失。
个人（4:3,22,27）或团体（4:13）的无心之失，会令神的子民蒙羞，亦会玷污神拣选作祂的居所的群体。
然而，这是一个无心之失吗？教会的领袖比会众有更多知识，他们亦曾接受有关指示，所以，他们是有责任的，正如被基遍人所骗的约书亚和他的同伴一样（约书亚记9:16-21），都要负上责任。我们的失误可以令神的所有子民蒙羞，而这个群体是代表神的同在。
赎罪祭可以洁净神的居所，处理个人或群体所犯的罪，并除去罪污。不过，这次领袖们的失误带来的后果，却不会被除去——可作为日后的鉴戒。
祷告
主啊，求祢洁净一切玷污我们身体和心灵的事；叫我们因敬畏基督，成为圣洁；又求祢帮助我们分辨智慧和愚昧的事，奉祢名求，阿们。