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9 June 2008
Word on the Web
Judges 19 v 29 - 20 v 17
When the Levite got home, he took a knife and cut his slave woman into twelve parts, limb by limb. Then he sent a part to each area of Israel. Everyone who saw this said, "Nothing like this has ever happened before, not since the people of Israel came out of Egypt. Think about it. Tell us what to do."
..... The tribes of Israel sent men throughout the tribe of Benjamin demanding, "What is this evil thing some of your men have done? Hand over the wicked men in Gibeah so that we can put them to death. We must remove this evil from Israel."
But the Benjaminites would not listen to their fellow Israelites. The Benjaminites left their own cities and met at Gibeah to fight the Israelites. In only one day the Benjaminites got 26,000 soldiers together who were trained with swords. They also had 700 chosen men from Gibeah. Seven hundred of these trained soldiers were left-handed, each of whom could sling a stone at a hair and not miss!
The Israelites, except for the Benjaminites, gathered 400,000 soldiers with swords.
Can you think of anything more repulsive than a man cutting up the corpse of his murdered wife and posting the pieces to the leaders of 12 nations? What do you think his father-in-law, so happy to see the couple reconciled a few days ago, thought?
But when we are distraught, we are liable to do stupid things, to see things in a way which may help us to come to terms with what has happened but shouldn't be taken too seriously. The problem was that the leaders reacted exactly as he had hoped - they let their emotions ratchet everything up and take control. The response to one revolting crime was to mobilise for civil war.
It is easy to think that such things would not happen today. But the start of the First World War was uncannily similar, and the media's emotional reaction to certain crimes pressurises politicians to pass unnecessary and counter-productive laws. Many relationship breakdowns start with over-reaction to minor niggles, with untold consequences for vulnerable children.
Do you have the discipline to keep your mouth shut when it is easier to mouth off? Can you resist the pressure to jump to conclusions when it would be wiser to take your time?
Prayer
Lord, Jesus, teach me to have a heart as big as yours, but not to let my heart rule my head. Guide me today in every situation I face. Amen
Written by James Archer
Word on the Web
Judges 19 v 29 - 20 v 17
When the Levite got home, he took a knife and cut his slave woman into twelve parts, limb by limb. Then he sent a part to each area of Israel. Everyone who saw this said, "Nothing like this has ever happened before, not since the people of Israel came out of Egypt. Think about it. Tell us what to do."
..... The tribes of Israel sent men throughout the tribe of Benjamin demanding, "What is this evil thing some of your men have done? Hand over the wicked men in Gibeah so that we can put them to death. We must remove this evil from Israel."
But the Benjaminites would not listen to their fellow Israelites. The Benjaminites left their own cities and met at Gibeah to fight the Israelites. In only one day the Benjaminites got 26,000 soldiers together who were trained with swords. They also had 700 chosen men from Gibeah. Seven hundred of these trained soldiers were left-handed, each of whom could sling a stone at a hair and not miss!
The Israelites, except for the Benjaminites, gathered 400,000 soldiers with swords.
Can you think of anything more repulsive than a man cutting up the corpse of his murdered wife and posting the pieces to the leaders of 12 nations? What do you think his father-in-law, so happy to see the couple reconciled a few days ago, thought?
But when we are distraught, we are liable to do stupid things, to see things in a way which may help us to come to terms with what has happened but shouldn't be taken too seriously. The problem was that the leaders reacted exactly as he had hoped - they let their emotions ratchet everything up and take control. The response to one revolting crime was to mobilise for civil war.
It is easy to think that such things would not happen today. But the start of the First World War was uncannily similar, and the media's emotional reaction to certain crimes pressurises politicians to pass unnecessary and counter-productive laws. Many relationship breakdowns start with over-reaction to minor niggles, with untold consequences for vulnerable children.
Do you have the discipline to keep your mouth shut when it is easier to mouth off? Can you resist the pressure to jump to conclusions when it would be wiser to take your time?
Prayer
Lord, Jesus, teach me to have a heart as big as yours, but not to let my heart rule my head. Guide me today in every situation I face. Amen
Written by James Archer
