Today's Passage: Judges 21
Judges 21 continues the saga between Israel and the Benjamites, that we began reading this past Saturday with Brandon. Every time I read about a civil war I'm reminded of one of my professors, Dr. Calvert. Dr. Calvert pointed out in our research on civilizations that the most vicious and inhumane wars are those fought between people that belong to the same people group. Sadly most of us can testify to this on a personal level. I'm willing to bet that the worst fight you have ever had was with a member of your own family. I don't think any of us can put a finger on why this is but it's true. Maybe it's because we expect more from our family members or we think they should side with us whether we are right or not. Regardless, we in our human weakness find ourselves doing horrible things to the ones that we are closest to. And we find too often that selfishness is the true motive for these actions.
Chapter 21 concludes with the same statement that opened chapter 18: In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. This whole chapter and specifically this verse, should be a warning to us of how the motives of selfishness can lead to a cycle of sin that is very destructive and not easily broken.
We are not like Israel in Judges, we have a King. Now all we have to do is live like it. I challenge you this week to find just one way to be selfless and put God first.
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