Hear devo: https://bit.ly/4yH1AKH
19:1 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: ‘Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy. 15 “‘Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly. 16 “‘Do not go about spreading slander among your people. “‘Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor’s life. I am the Lord. 17 “‘Do not hate a fellow Israelite in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in their guilt. 18 “‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord. (Leviticus 19:1-2, 15-18 NIV)
The late Dr. Billy Graham loved A&W Root Beer. His son said he bought them by the cases and would open several during the day. The son also said that throughout their home, Billy kept many Bibles open to different passages. Some would be on window sills, others on tables by comfortable reading chairs, some by his bedside; and one day the son asked, "Dad, how can you say you're reading the Bible if you only stop and sit and read for a few minutes then move on to the next Bible?" The dad replied, "Son, I sip on root beer all day long, and in the same way I sip from the Word of God with each verse I read; it brings me great joy and pleasure." We should be the same; making time to read as much as we can from the Bible each time we can and seek to grow with the teachings God's word brings to us. A very rude patient, odd name for rude impatient people waiting to see their healthcare provider, turned out to be an archeaologist who is flown in private jets all over the world for his work; only to have one of those providers ask, "What good does digging for biblical treasures if they don't rub off positive traits on him?" Indeed, and it's true for me. And for you maybe.
Here's a passage worth reading over and over from the overhearing we are doing to someone's private conversation between this person (Moses) and God! What can we learn from it?
Some Bible passages ease you in gently. Leviticus 19 does not. It opens with a sentence that stops you in your tracks: “Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.” That’s the whole foundation. Before a single instruction about money, courts, or neighbors, God lays down the reason for everything that follows. You are called to be holy because of who He is.
It’s easy to hear the word “holy” and picture someone floating above the ordinary, perfectly pious and a little unreachable. But notice where this chapter takes the idea. Holiness here isn’t mainly about incense, robes, or religious performance. It shows up in the courtroom, in the way you talk about people, in how you handle a grudge. Holiness, according to Leviticus, is what God’s character looks like when it’s lived out in the ordinary mess of human relationships.
Take verse 15: “Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly.” That cuts in two directions, and both are worth sitting with. Most of us know we shouldn’t bow to the powerful, the wealthy, or the well-connected. But God also says not to show partiality to the poor. Fairness doesn’t mean siding automatically with whoever we feel sorry for or whoever shares our story. God’s justice isn’t swayed by status in either direction. He sees each person as they truly are, and He asks us to try to do the same.
Then verse 16 gets uncomfortably close to home: “Do not go about spreading slander among your people.” How many of us have passed along a little too much information, sharing a story that wasn’t ours to tell or a criticism that did more harm than good? Slander rarely feels like a big sin in the moment. It feels like conversation. But God takes seriously the way our words can wound, and He asks His people to be a safe place for one another’s reputations.
Verses 17 and 18 go even deeper, into the hidden places of the heart. “Do not hate a fellow Israelite in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in their guilt. Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.” Notice that God cares about what happens inside us, not just what we do. Hatred that quietly simmers is still hatred. And notice the surprising kindness in the instruction to speak honestly with a neighbor who has wronged you. Silent resentment festers. Honest, loving conversation heals. God would rather we have a hard, gracious talk than carry a grudge for years.
That brings us to the line Jesus Himself would later call the second greatest commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Here, at the end of a list about fairness, honesty, and forgiveness, is the heartbeat of it all. Loving our neighbor isn’t a vague warm feeling. It’s practical. It looks like treating people fairly, guarding their name, speaking truthfully, and letting go of the need to get even.
And then those three small words that close verse 18: “I am the Lord.” God doesn’t just give us rules and walk away. He reminds us who is asking. The One who calls us to holiness is the One who makes it possible, the One who loved us first and forgave us fully. We aren’t asked to be holy on our own strength. We’re invited to reflect the God who has already shown us what love looks like.
So as you move through today, perhaps ask yourself a gentle question: Where is God inviting me to be a little more fair, a little more careful with my words, or a little quicker to let go? That small step is what holiness looks like in everyday clothes.
PRAYER: Lord, make us holy as You are holy, and teach us to love our neighbors with fairness, truth, and a forgiving heart, in Christ’s strong name we pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: Choose one grudge, careless word, or unfair judgment you’ve been holding onto, and take a concrete step today toward honesty, kindness, or reconciliation.
I love you and I thank God for you! You matter to God and you matter to me! Reach out to all neighbors in love; so we can win the world for Jesus!
Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.
