Contemplative Bible Reading

Zechariah 7:8-10 (New International Version)

⁸ And the word of the LORD came again to Zechariah: ⁹ “This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. ¹⁰ Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In your hearts do not think evil of each other.’

Here God speaks to His people through the prophet Zechariah. The people wanted to know what to do. They were searching. Surely they were doing something wrong. How could they improve how they followed the law?

God wanted His people to follow the law He had given them. In addition, God wanted His people to understand and live the spirit of the law. Two things that God wanted them to do were:

1. administer true justice
2. show mercy and compassion to one another

God had given specific instructions on what was just and unjust. If someone stole something, they were to redeem that by doing such-and-such. If someone cheated someone else, they were to make amends by doing such-and-such. The punishment for this was that, and the punishment for that was this. God laid it all out for them, the just and the unjust. Some of His people followed the letter of the law for some of the time, but mostly, they didn’t understand the principles.

In the same manner, God had given specific instructions on how to treat those less fortunate than yourselves. God knew there would be some of his people who were poor. God knew some of his people would suffer tragic loss of life and property. He set aside rules for aiding those people. In the same manner, some of His people followed the letter of the law for some of the time, but mostly, they didn’t understand the principles.

Here God asks that they understand the principles.

God, help me to understand the principles. Help me to see through the  details and live the principles. Help me to live justly and to show mercy and compassion to all those around  me.