DAY 33 or FEBRUARY 2.
OFFERINGS FROM THOUGHTLESS FOLLOWERS
Our thoughts today are rooted in Leviticus chapter 5, verses 15 and 16.
When anyone is unfaithful to the Lord by sinning unintentionally, they are to bring to the
Lord as a penalty a ram from the flock, one without defect.
They must make restitution for what they have failed to do, and pay an additional penalty
of a fifth of its value.
First, the big picture surrounding these verses.
There are two sacrifices designed specifically for thoughtless actions and words.
First, there is a sin offering, which was to be offered for those unthinking and often
hurtful sins we all commit when we act or speak before our brain is in gear.
The second one, the guilt offering, was once again for sins that needed to be forgiven,
but which could be partially rectified and therefore required positive action from the
sinner.
Chapter 5, verse 16, makes it very clear when a penalty payment is required from the sinner,
as well as a sacrifice to God for their own forgiveness.
So it wasn't simply a matter of sinning and then offering a sacrifice.
That was insufficient.
There had to be personal restitution wherever possible.
Making an effort to put right or wrong was very important.
And now our action step for today.
Saying sorry is not enough.
You have to mean it.
In the book of Leviticus, God goes even further by adding the idea of restitution or compensation,
saying sorry and being genuine plus making a contribution to the person sinned against.
Many think that this is a modern concept today, but it's really ancient.
It is not part of our compensation culture, which is a distortion of the original, but
it's part of God's ancient law.
In the words of the song, sorry can be the hardest word.
However, paying compensation can be even harder.
In the New Testament, Zacchaeus in Luke chapter 19 offers to pay 400% compensation, when 20%
would have been sufficient.
It's a sure sign of salvation when we are generous beyond the legal requirements.