*Friday Reflection*
*July 31, 2020*
*You!*

You shalt not raise a false report: put not your hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness.
Exodus 23:1 KJV
https://bible.com/bible/1/exo.23.1.KJV

Happy Friday Friends! TGIF!!!
Today we take a look at this Old Testament passage and see how best we can apply the lesson to our everyday life. Let’s Go!

*Background:* Exodus chapter 23 is a list of more laws to Judges. Today our focus is on verse one which speaks about a law that promotes justice. You might ask … How’s this relevant today? Journey with me as I examine the text and apply it’s concept to our lives in this present world.

*Application*: The text begins with what we call a personal pronoun. The word *you* I believe is intentionally used as it can be both singular and plural which means it referring to individuals as well as a group of individuals. Therefore, it MUST be taken personally.

*Firstly, let us examine the first sentence:*

*You* shall not circulate a false report: The only way to obey this command is to put a stop to false report. Often times we hear things being said of persons and we know fully well they are lies. Some of us have a tendency to say “it’s not my business”. But today I am saying to us *we are our brothers and sisters keeper and therefore it is very much our business!* Doing nothing or remaining neutral only allow the false report to circulate even more. You might say but I am not the one who started it, guess what… *“The inventor and receiver of false and slanderous reports, are almost equally criminal* (Clarke)
In Jamaica we say *yu a hypocrite!*

Friends, the onus is on *you*. You shall NOT bear false witness against anyone. It is not about anyone else and whether they are the one’s who started it yes or no. It’s about *you* and your Godly responsibility. *You* must ensure you put a stop to false report by not engaging in conversations about it and most importantly *you must speak the truth*. If you do not know the truth it is proper to ask and require proof from the person bringing the report, and proof as required in the Bible – from two or three witnesses (Deuteronomy 19:15).

Secondly, *You* shall not put your hand with the wicked to be an *unrighteous witness*. In others words *doh mix up yuhself wid wicked ppl and bear false witness gainst adda ppl*

It has always been in the nature of mankind *to follow a crowd to do evil*, since the time Adam followed Eve into sin to this very day. It is easy and dangerous to side with many to pervert justice, to follow our peers and popular opinion. When doing so promotes a false report or perverts justice, then it is sin! This is why it is so important for us *to choose our crowd carefully*: Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.” (1 Corinthians 15:33). *You* are responsible for the friends you associate yourself with. Only *you* can decide when it’s time to move on!.

*Conclusion:* Both statements/ command is connected with the next because the circulation of a false report was and still is a fundamental way to put your hand with the wicked and follow a crowd to do evil. Remember the onus is on *you*.
Do the right thing and speak up about injustice, do not be apart of it and do not sit and do nothing about it. *Your bother or sister is your business and part of your Godly responsibility*

God bless ya’ll

Shaneka Raymore Euphfa

Thursday Reflection July 30, 2020

Listen to what Jesus is saying

*Then Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.” St. Mark 4:9 NIV*

*Good day friends!*

*Warm greetings on this another day that the Lord has given us.*

Our reflection today takes us to the book of Mark, chapter 4 to be more precise and verse 9. The parable told by Jesus in this chapter is well known; it is the parable of the Sower. In this parable Jesus speaks of a farmer who went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path which was eaten by birds. Some fell on rocky places where the sun came and caused them to wither and die. Some fell among thorns which grew up, but were choked by the thorns and finally some fell on good soil where they multiplied and bore many fruits.

Our focus for today’s reflection is not so much the parable itself, but two statements made by Jesus, before and after the parable. If we look at verse 3, (yes you can turn your bible to verse 3 of the chapter) it says, “Hearken” if you are using the KJV, which is correctly translated by the NIV as listen. So before Jesus begins his parable of the Sower, he draws the attention of the multitude by saying, “Listen!” We all have an idea of what the word listen means. The Cambridge Dictionary puts it this way: “‘Listening’ is an action; it is something we do consciously.” So Jesus drew the attention of the multitude to consciously take an action to think carefully on what he was saying. Jesus was calling them to focus on this parable; to reflect deeply on this parable.

This is what Jesus calls us to do even today. Take an active decision to reflect on the words of God. Focus on what is being said about Jesus. I often encourage my bible study group to ask questions of the text. By asking the questions it should cause us to seek the answers which the Lord will reveal to us. If we read further in the chapter we will see that the disciples did this as well. So Jesus calls us to listen!

What is interesting is how Jesus ended the parable, “whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.” Our understanding of hearing is something more physiological than active. Again using the Cambridge Dictionary as a source of help, hearing is defined as, “something which happens to us as a natural process.” In other words, you cannot help but hear my voice as I speak in this recording. You will always hear those beside you speaking, but it doesn’t mean that you are listening. Jesus called on all who had ears in the multitude to hear him. But what was Jesus really saying? I believe Jesus was giving a warning or a caution to those there. Just as how in Jamaica a mother would caution her child with the saying, ‘all who can’t hear will feel’, so too I believe Jesus cautioned those there with ears to hear to take note of all that he said.

The NRSV captures the thought more precisely, “Let anyone with ears to hear listen!” It was a call to those who hear the word of God to not only hear it, but listen to it as well. It is a call to actively give thought and credence to the message of Jesus. This is not only a call to the unsaved, but it is a call to the saved as well. It is high time that we stop being only hearers of the word, but also doers of the word. It is high time that we spend time to understand the message of Jesus instead of just reading to say we read or heard the word of God. It is high time that we become so infused with the word of God that it changes us. There is always a deeper message with Jesus, think on it.

*Until next week listen to what Jesus is saying*

*Shalom*

*Christopher Euphfa*