Wednesday, April 1, 2020

Godly Accountable


If an ox gores a man or woman to death, the ox must be stoned, and its flesh may not be eaten. In such a case, however, the owner will not be held liable.  But suppose the ox had a reputation for goring, and the owner had been informed but failed to keep it under control. If the ox then kills someone, it must be stoned, and the owner must also be put to death.  Exodus 21:28-29

I was watching a movie about being a father in tough circumstances.  The father had been involved with gangs most of his life, and rehabilitated himself with the help of an older mentor.  In the final scene, there is a confrontation between the father and the gang leader over who ultimately would determine the boy’s future.  As the gang leader threatens to kill the father, the father tries to teach his son, who was in the middle, a lesson by offering his own life to help him see the wrongfulness of gang life.  The father says:
Jimmie... son... if you hit a man in his face, in time, his wounds will heal. And later on, you can apologize to that man. If you steal his goods, later on, you can return those goods, or you can repay him equal value. But if you kill... there is no later on. There's no way to repair it with that man. There's no way to make it right with him or his family. His life is gone forever. You never come back from that.
I was never a member of a gang or desired to be part of one.  But the story hit me hard because I was a young father of two children, and it helped me realize how much they needed me. In a place where single moms had often carried the load far too often, I had an opportunity to be the father to them many other children did not have.  I had to be accountable.  To them.  To their mother who became my wife.  And ultimately, to God.

Accountability to God extends beyond us.  After the Ten Commandments, Moses was provided additional instructions to give to God’s people.  They focused on the treatment and injustices of others.  In today’s verses, it covered situations where an ox kills another.  There was forgiveness for the initial accident, but if that happened again, it now became an issue where the owner of the ox was negligent because there was a history.  As such, the owner would be held accountable.  There are numerous situations where we are held accountable for our actions.  What is noteworthy here is the expectation that we are also to be accountable for those who we are responsible for.  Whether it be an ox who gores, a dog who bites, or a child who damages, God holds us to a higher level of accountability than we might ourselves hold to.  As such, accountability requires us to both prepare ourselves to do right and teach righteousness to those we are responsible for.

We are to be generous to others for God is a giving God.  He gave His only Son to die on the cross for our sins, and has given so much that we may at times take it for granted.  He is a provider and lover of us as His children.  For His provisions, we are not only grateful but also accountable to uphold His word including His laws and teachings.  Jesus in His famous Sermon on the Mount said:
You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also.  If you are sued in court and your shirt is taken from you, give your coat, too. If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles.  Give to those who ask, and don’t turn away from those who want to borrow.  Matthew 5:38-42
Accountability to God is sacrificing even when we think we shouldn’t.  So when necessary, let us all be willing to go one step above serving others to profess the love we have for Him.  How accountable are you to God?  Who have you possibly wronged that today you can go above and beyond to make right?  My prayer is that we look to God and in all we do find ourselves 100% accountable.  Amen.

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