Contemplative Bible Reading

Zechariah 8:16 (New Living Translation)

16 But this is what you must do: Tell the truth to each other. Render verdicts in your courts that are just and that lead to peace.

God is talking to the people through the prophet Zechariah. The preceding sections tell how God is going to restore the people. The good times are returning. Everyone be happy about this.

And then comes direction of what you must do when the good times return. Save the money? Sing songs? Build up the army? Invest in the arts? What? What is it the people must do when the good times return?

• Tell the truth to each other.
• Render just verdicts in court that lead to peace.

Well, uh, seems sort of ordinary. Surely there must be something magnificent to do? Nope. Just these plain old things. Truth. Justice. Peace. Hmm. Plain old stuff. Perhaps there is something magnificent hidden in this plain old stuff. Perhaps we think too much and strategize too much and lean on our own brain power too much.

Truth. Justice. Peace. Something we must do.