Leviticus 19:1-17
This chapter gives us many instructions as to our treatment of one another. To the children of Israel it was law — “Thou shalt” and “Thou shalt not,” — but we have learned in Christianity that we are not under law but under grace. Nevertheless, that which was morally suited to God in His dealings with Israel is unchanged, for God’s moral character never changes. He has said, “I am the Lord, I change not” (Malachi 3:6). The law demanded of man that which he was unable to give, for his fallen nature is at “enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be” (Romans 8:7). A man must be born again before he can please God at all and then the new man delights in obedience. It does not need a law, but rather finds its joy in the paths of righteousness.
Consideration for the Weak
There is, however, much wisdom that is needful, and we do well to ponder it in a day and age when there is a tendency to forget that consideration for one another should be seen among the children of God. If we walk in the Spirit, these precious fruits will be produced without effort (Galatians 5:22). The children of Israel were never to forget the poor and the stranger and were to leave a little in the corners of their fields for them. How tender the grace of God that would think of the needs of such and remind us of them. In all His greatness He never forgets the needs of any of His creatures, for not even a sparrow falls to the ground without His notice, and we who are His children ought to show the same tenderness. There was also to be that consideration for the deaf and blind. Undoubtedly we would not “curse the deaf,” but do we as Christians think of them? Do we try to speak loudly enough so that they can hear? How often a person who is a little deaf will come to a meeting of believers and hear little or nothing of what is said simply because the one or ones who were speaking did not put forth a little extra effort to speak so that all could hear. These little things are not forgotten of God our Father who thinks of the needs of His creatures and is kind even to the unthankful (Luke 6:35).
Talebearer
Another thing we are reminded of is the danger of being a talebearer. Perhaps there is nothing that has caused so much harm among the children of God as tale-bearing. Even boys and girls need to be warned against this habit, for it grows on one until he or she becomes known as one who minds everyone’s business but his own. People have been driven from gospel meetings and other meetings simply because someone did a great deal of unnecessary talking. Let us all watch against this habit, and if something comes to our ears which is not profitable, let it stop right there and go no further.
Restoration
The next verse gives us a sort of balance for what we have just spoken about. Although we are not to repeat gossip, we are not to be indifferent to evil. If we know that someone is falling into sinful ways, we ought to go and speak to them about it. We need to be careful how we do it, and it should always be in a sense of our own weakness (Galatians 6:1), but we should not let it pass. How many a person would be saved a disastrous course if, instead of tale-bearing, we went to them in love and sought their restoration.
For Further Meditation
1. How do we know that the Lord never forgets our needs?
2. The Scriptures have a lot to say about the power of the tongue for both good and evil. How many different scriptures can you find that tell us what our God wishes to see us do with our tongues?
3. You can get a set of verses about gossip (talebearing) in the collection of themed scriptures called The Bible Promise Book that are well worth meditating on.