Exodus 22
Scripture
Exodus 22:21
“Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner, for you were foreigners in Egypt.”
Observation - What does it say?
God is giving his people laws and commands to live by. As he desires his holy people, his chosen nation whom he brought out of Egypt, to live a certain way. These aren’t arbitrary or random commands, but they each boil down to loving God and each other. In verse 21, he gives them the specific command not to mistreat anyone who is a foreigner because they were once foreigners.
Understanding - What does it mean?
When God's people remember where they were when God rescued them, it should cause them to treat people differently.
When God saves us we experience new life and things begin to change. We begin to desire God more than the things we used to, we begin replacing our old Friday night activities with new ones, we let go of old relationships in order to form new relationships with God's people, etc. Everything changes as God transforms us more into the image of Jesus. It’s a wonderful thing! But with that change comes a natural separation from our old life and often times the people that were a part of it. The more God transforms us and the farther removed we become from our old life, the easier it becomes to separate ourselves from the world and eventually, if we aren't careful, we'll find ourselves looking down our noses at those still living in sin.
When we would look down upon someone who doesn’t have God in their life, God would remind us, “Don’t forget that used to be you! Your sin may have looked different, but you weren’t any better than them when I found you and rescued you! So be compassionate, don’t mistreat them. Don’t oppress them. Instead, do what I did for you. Have compassion on them, serve them, love them, and seek to save their soul by introducing them into saving relationship with me.”
Life Application
When I see someone who is living in sin, rather than judging them, remember where I was when God saved me, and find a way to love them! ... Specifically those on my PII card - pray for, invest in and invite them to DSC and into relationship with Jesus.
God, thank you for saving me! May I never lose sight of where I was when you rescued me. Fill us with compassion for the lost. Give us more of your heart for them and make us a church without walls. A church that doesn't hide out in our little bubble together, but who loves and serves those who don’t know you and invites them into personal relationship with you. Amen.
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