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6 June 2008
Word on the Web
Judges 19 v 22-28
While they were enjoying themselves, some wicked men of the city surrounded the house and beat on the door. They shouted to the old man who owned the house, "Bring out the man who came to your house. We want to have sexual relations with him."
The owner of the house went outside and said to them, "No, my friends. Don't be so evil. This man is a guest in my house. Don't do this terrible thing! Look, here are my daughter, who has never had sexual relations before, and the man's slave woman. I will bring them out to you now. Do anything you want with them, but don't do such a terrible thing to this man."
But the men would not listen to him. So the Levite took his slave woman and sent her outside to them. They forced her to have sexual relations with them, and they abused her all night long. Then, at dawn, they let her go. She came back to the house where her master was staying and fell down at the door and lay there until daylight.
In the morning when the Levite got up, he opened the door of the house and went outside to go on his way. But his slave woman was lying at the doorway of the house, with her hands on the doorsill. The Levite said to her, "Get up; let's go." But she did not answer. So he put her on his donkey and went home.
Evil! That's the only word for it. The gang mentality starts off making trouble, and ends up much deeper in the mire than they probably ever intended - gang rape and murder.
In Western liberal society, we are baffled by the revulsion towards homosexuality shown in this story, which leads the men to be prepared to sacrifice their wife and daughter to prevent it. Perhaps it is best just to recognise that other people have deeply-held beliefs which we find incredible, and to accept that in dealing with them we need to understand where they are coming from.
The men in the house obviously didn't know the story of Lot in Sodom from the book of Genesis - in very similar circumstances, the angels kept the door firmly closed and refused to negotiate with evil. But here they made the fatal mistake of seeking compromise when no compromise was available.
When should you compromise, and when should you stand firm? When did Jesus compromise his position and when did he shun compromise?
He compromised his position by associating with people who needed his help, with those he saw as sheep without a shepherd. He didn't back down an inch on matters of principle.
Lord, show me when to stand firm and when to compromise, and whatever I do to do it in a spirit of love. Amen
Written by James Archer
Word on the Web
Judges 19 v 22-28
While they were enjoying themselves, some wicked men of the city surrounded the house and beat on the door. They shouted to the old man who owned the house, "Bring out the man who came to your house. We want to have sexual relations with him."
The owner of the house went outside and said to them, "No, my friends. Don't be so evil. This man is a guest in my house. Don't do this terrible thing! Look, here are my daughter, who has never had sexual relations before, and the man's slave woman. I will bring them out to you now. Do anything you want with them, but don't do such a terrible thing to this man."
But the men would not listen to him. So the Levite took his slave woman and sent her outside to them. They forced her to have sexual relations with them, and they abused her all night long. Then, at dawn, they let her go. She came back to the house where her master was staying and fell down at the door and lay there until daylight.
In the morning when the Levite got up, he opened the door of the house and went outside to go on his way. But his slave woman was lying at the doorway of the house, with her hands on the doorsill. The Levite said to her, "Get up; let's go." But she did not answer. So he put her on his donkey and went home.
Evil! That's the only word for it. The gang mentality starts off making trouble, and ends up much deeper in the mire than they probably ever intended - gang rape and murder.
In Western liberal society, we are baffled by the revulsion towards homosexuality shown in this story, which leads the men to be prepared to sacrifice their wife and daughter to prevent it. Perhaps it is best just to recognise that other people have deeply-held beliefs which we find incredible, and to accept that in dealing with them we need to understand where they are coming from.
The men in the house obviously didn't know the story of Lot in Sodom from the book of Genesis - in very similar circumstances, the angels kept the door firmly closed and refused to negotiate with evil. But here they made the fatal mistake of seeking compromise when no compromise was available.
When should you compromise, and when should you stand firm? When did Jesus compromise his position and when did he shun compromise?
He compromised his position by associating with people who needed his help, with those he saw as sheep without a shepherd. He didn't back down an inch on matters of principle.
Lord, show me when to stand firm and when to compromise, and whatever I do to do it in a spirit of love. Amen
Written by James Archer
