Be Holy!                                         

 Leviticus 19 v 1-2, 9-18 v 10 “It is the same with your grape crop – do not strip every last bunch of grapes from the vines, and do not pick up the grapes that fall to the ground. Leave them for the poor and the foreigners living among you. I am the Lord your God.”

The Lord said to Moses, give these instructions to the entire community of Israel. You must be holy because I the Lord your God am holy. Do not harvest the grain along the edges of your field. It is the same with your grape crop – do not strip every last bunch of grapes from the vines, and do not pick up the grapes that fall to the ground. Leave them for the poor and the foreigners living among you. I am the Lord your God. Do not steal. Always judge people fairly. Do not nurse hatred in your heart for any of your relatives. Love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.  

God wants us all to be like Him! As holy as He is! In the Old Testament He gives us rules on how best to do this. In this passage there are familiar ideas that any good citizen would agree with. Do not steal, judge people fairly, do not nurse hatred for your relatives, love your neighbors. He also illustrates that whatever we harvest, earn from our labors, we should leave and share some with others, the poor and the foreigner. As Christians it is a personal ask from God which separates us from other givers.  God asks us to look inward at our own selves and then outward to the community in which we live. Why? because He is the Lord! He is holy and He expects us to be holy too. As we all make plans to enjoy the wonderful world God has given us this summer make sure to be holy and give to the poor and the foreigner too.

Prayer: Holy Father we thank you for the crops that you give us and ask that you show us how to share the harvest with others this summer. Amen.