LIFE IN VIETNAM

We went with Canadian friends to a local Chinese/Vietnamese restaurant this week. The staff spoke only Vietnamese. We were seated at a "hot pot" table - the kind that has four hot pots, one in front of each person in which you cook your own food.
We wanted to order food like what those who just left two nearby tables had enjoyed. There was no way to communicate why this should be a problem. Fortunately a Chinese manager came over to the table. He did not speak English, but fortunately our friends were Chinese Canadians. After some time the conversation was translated for us. The two large tables were provided with special food for a special occasion. Apparently only certain foods were available. It would take too long to make something like that for us. So we went to another restuarant. Without our friends we might never have known why we could not order what was on the menu.
We had a church leadership meeting tonight. A friend called and asked if he could share a taxi with us. Our taxi driver couldn't quite understand why we were asking him to drive slowly along a major street, until we stopped for our friend. With little Vietnamese - and taxi drivers with little or no English - anything out of the ordinary (as in the restaurant) is impossible to explain, even with sign language.
Our friend wanted a ride because he was just feeling too tired to drive himself. Driving himself would have meant on his motorbike in heavy, very challenging rush hour Hanoi traffic. Not advised if very tired. It would have also meant riding home in the rain. On the way home he and we caught a ride with one of the few men in the church who has a company car and driver.
Occasionally I remember those days when Jan and I each had a car and drove ourselves everywhere. How simple that was. Was that less than 18 months ago?

GREAT LEADER, GREAT PROMISE

The book of Joshua begins with Israel's new leader being encouraged by God. It always intrigues me that  Joshua is told to be "strong and courageous" so many times (twice in Deuteronomy 31 and 4 times in Joshua 1); by Moses, by Israel and four times by God.
Yet this morning, what caught my attention was how encouraged Joshua must have been by God's promise to him. Joshua had been Moses right hand man for years. He was allowed to go with Moses into God's presence in a way that no one else in the nation was allowed. He observed the miracles God performed through Moses and knew that God had defended Moses leadership when it was threatened by the complaining, rebellious Israelites.
So when God said "I will be with you like I was with Moses; I won't ever leave you or forsake you", Joshua knew what a huge promise was being given to him. He faced a great task in leading the people into the Promised Land. But now, if had any doubts, he had received a great promise from God: he would be kept and strengthened by God just as his mentor Moses had experienced.
And we are told that we can claim that same wonderful promise: our God will never leave or forsake us." Hebrews 13:5

On another note: we received an encouraging note this week from a young woman serving over here. Jan and I learned that she and a colleague were not receiving the full amount of financial support promised when they left home. When we heard this, we gave each of them a small gift to encourage them. In her note of thanks she mentioned that both young women had been wondering how they would afford to eat in the coming week - and then Jan handed them our little gift in an envelope.
We were grateful that we had been able to give this practical help at the right time. However we were saddened to think that these young women are living with such financial pressure as they serve the Lord here. And we were saddened that "the folks back home" were not giving more faithfully to the meet the needs of these women.

THE POWER OF SONG

 God is speaking giving Moses final instructions before he hands over leadership to Joshua and goes up on the mountain to die. God wants to help His people remember that the blessing or curses they will experience in the future is entirely dependent upon them. How they respond to God will determine how He responds to them. They will tend to forget His instructions. He wants them to remember. So God tells Moses: teach them a song!
"Now write down for yourselves this song and teach it to the Israelites and have them sing it, so that it may be a witness for me against them." Deuteronomy 31:19
Their is an innate power in music. Singing words seems to imprint them in our memories so much more. So God tells Moses, use music to help these words be memorable; to help these disobedient, forgetful people remember to obey!
The power of song! Yesterday in a powerful Sunday morning service, we sang, back to back, a worship  song and then an old hymn. Some of us were deeply moved, words choking in our throats, eyes  moistened. We sang "How can it be, that you my King would die for me?" and then we were singing, "How marvellous, how wonderful is my Saviour's love for me." These familiar songs and words moved me once again. But more than an emotional feeling, the words were reminding me and others of great truth. Christ loved and loves me so much! I am glad those songs are familiar; glad that I can sing those words (silently for the sake of others) to myself. Thank you Lord for the power of worship hymns and songs that move us and that imprint great biblical truths!
The power of song? Just ask me what I remember best: the words of my sixth grade teachers or the Elvis Presley songs I was hearing that year?

JESUS IS THE BREAD

The season of Lent began last Wednesday. I am again "enjoying" the discipline of fasting. I was going to choose a "larger" once a week fast, but decided that I really need a daily fast of some kind - the kind that makes me realize something is missing in my normal life, something that daily brings my mind back to Lent, to Christ and to prayer. For me it is to deny myself certain foods and a certain eating pattern that I enjoy. The discipline is good for my soul and "ups" my awareness of Christ.
Since it is the Lent Season, today I will begin a seven Sunday series of sermons coordinated with the pastor of our sister congregation here in Hanoi. We are preaching on the seven I AM statements of Christ in John's Gospel.
Here is the familiar first bold statement:
"Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty." John 6:35


Jesus truly is the only One that satisfies our deep soul hunger and the only One who guarantees this satisfaction will last long after death. He calls us not to his teaching, important as that is, but to Himself. May you, on this first Sunday of Lent, choose to draw closer to the One who is the Bread of Life.

TAKING IT FOR GRANTED

"I will be blessed because I belong to a Christian family and a Church, even though I am disobeying God. My family will be protected by God, even though I ignore Him, because we go to church. My sin is not harming my church." I am not sure if anyone would actually say such a thing, but I wonder if many people don't make that assumption.
Certainly when things go wrong, they are quick to say "Why is God doing this to us?" or "Why would God allow this to happen to me?"
There is a startling passage in Deuteronomy 29:19, where God through Moses, recognizes that some of "his people" will be tempted to think this way. After all, God had made a wonderful covenant with Israel. So of course, all Israel will be blessed, even those who ignore or disobey Him, right? That apparently is the thinking. This is how the NIV translates it.
When such a person hears the words of this oath and they invoke a blessing on themselves, thinking, “I will be safe, even though I persist in going my own way,” they will bring disaster on the watered land as well as the dry.

We should all pray for those family members or friends who may presently be counting on God's unlimited grace, expecting that He will wink at their sin. We should pray for parents who think that their sin will not in any way bring harm to their children. We should pray for those in our local church who may think that their sin will not bring harm to the church. We should examine ourselves.
We need to be careful when we interpret an OT verse and apply it to our present NT time of grace. Yet this verse should cause all of us to pause. Think about it.

FOUR LANGUAGES ONE FAMILY

We enjoyed a pizza tonight with a friend from Ho Chi Minh City who grew up here in Hanoi. She is working with the World Bank, so is here for a week. We always enjoy visiting with this Christian business woman who came to faith while doing a graduate degree in the US.
We talked about many things including language. Her English is very fluent and she told us that she has studied some Chinese as well. We then briefly discussed the changes in foreign language emphasis in Vietnam over the years. She told us how her Vietnamese family reflects these changes over the past 60 years.
Her grandparents speak French, for until 1954 when the French finally left the north, it was the foreign language of choice. Her uncle, older brother of her father, studied Chinese for in the late 50's and into the 60's, China was an ally. Her father studied in Russia and so is fluent in Russian. The USSR was a great ally of Vietnam back in the 70's and into the 80's.
However our friend is only 30 years old. Like most of those under age 35, English was the foreign language she studied. In recent years English has become a compulsory subject at least in the big cities. Private English language schools advertise widely, providing night and weekend classes. Some companies pay teachers to hold weekly classes on the job site, so that their employees can interact with overseas clients. Vietnamese recognize that fluency in English increases the chance of promotion and might even lead to a job with a foreign company or NGO.
You will still find those who study Russian or French (in fact I met a woman from France today who teaches at the University near us. But the era of Russian or French has passed here in SE Asia. I suspect that the study of Chinese will grow stronger in the days ahead.
Meanwhile we meet once a week with our 60 year old language tutor - whose major language of study was - you guessed it - Russian!

THE REAL THING

I've missed more days of blogging recently since we've had five guests from Edmonton, Canada. It has been my pleasure to act as there primary tour guide but it has involved a lot of time and energy.

During the week we visited the mausoleum (one of only three in the world) of Ho Chi Minh, plus the very simple houses he lived in, even as he ruled North Vietnam during his last 15 years of life. He is revered as the father of modern Vietnam; his photo is found in every government building and every school; busts and statues of Ho Chi Minh are prominent throughout the country, and to many he is still the people's very important relative: Uncle Ho. He died (1969) before the country was finally united (1975) under one national communist government. It was the culmination of what he longed for and worked toward for decades.
Long before Ho Chi Minh or Marx; long before the financial crisis that struck the West in 2008 and continues in many places, the Old Testament and New Testament were written with wonderful concern for the "common person" and the proper sharing of goods. In the Bible, God made very clear His concern that all people should be cared for; that those who are disadvantated should not be left to simply suffer.
I thought of this again as I read the Bible yesterday. I read words like the following:
"At the end of every seven years you must cancel debts. --- However there should be no poor among you, for in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless you ---. --- If there is a poor man among your brothers --- do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your brother. --- Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; --- Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land." Deuteronomy 15:1 - 11
Communism, Socialism, Capitalism - they all are weakened and fail for one primary reason: humans are sinful. Unless the heart is radically changed by Jesus Christ, dishonesty, greed, and corruption gnaw away at every form of government, in every country.
Come, Lord Jesus, Come!

WHY GOD CHOSE US

If we are truly faith followers of Jesus, then we understand we are born again, converted, saved, brought into the family of God by faith alone. It is because of God's grace shown to us through the death of Christ that we can believe and be saved. We cannot earn God's salvation; we cannot work our way into heaven; we receive God's mercy and forgiveness as a free gift. Ephesians 2:8, 9
Yet after we have been part of the family of God we can subconsciously forget. When we are see others whose words and actions seem in every way opposed to God, we are grateful that we are not like them. And to easily we can begin to think we are better than those people. We might even begin to think that God made a pretty good choice when He chose people like us. (Of course we think this in all humility.)
There was a danger that Israel might think this way. After all God was about to give them the Promised Land. He promised to drive out before them all of those evil nations who worshipped idols and opposed God by word and action. God must be pleased that there was one nation wise and good enough to worship the Living God. Since this was a danger for Israel, as it is for us, God had some pretty blunt words for them as He spoke through Moses. Notice the 3 fold repetition of one phrase, just in case God's people missed it the first time. These words are a good reminder for us that we were not chosen because of our superior righteousness.

⁴ After the LORD your God has driven them out before you, do not say to yourself, “The LORD has brought me here to take possession of this land because of my righteousness.” No, it is on account of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD is going to drive them out before you. ⁵ It is not because of your righteousness or your integrity that you are going in to take possession of their land; but on account of the wickedness of these nations, the LORD your God will drive them out before you, to accomplish what he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. ⁶Understand, then, that it is not because of your righteousness that the LORD your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stiff-necked people. Deuteronomy 9:4 - 6

DIVINE HEART CRY

In Deuteronomy Moses recounts the past 40 years of Israel's history. He lists the 10 Commandments given on Sinai. He reports how Israel responded at that time to the presence of God with awe, reverence and a promise to obey. Then Moses writes:
The LORD heard you when you spoke to me, and the LORD said to me, “I have heard what this people said to you. Everything they said was good. Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me and keep all my commands always, so that it might go well with them and their children forever! (5:28, 29)

God saw and heard the sincerity of the people of Israel at that moment. They really do mean what they say and what they say is good. But sadly it will not always be this way. God knows the future as well as the past. He knows that they are very prone to wander away into disobedience and idolatry. You can almost feel God's sorrow. His words sound almost wistful, almost as if He is saying, "I wish I could count on their commitment and loyalty. I wish it were true."
I read these words and I think of the old hymn: "Prone to wander, Lord I feel it; prone to leave the God I love. Here's my heart, Oh take and seal it. Seal it for thy courts above." We all are too human and need God's grace and power to remain faithful and obedient. May He find lifelong loyalty in you and me.

INTERESTING, INTERNATIONAL SUNDAY

We had strong attendance at our 10:30 Sunday service yesterday (I'm guessing 150 - 175 people.) In the crowd were 12 people from Australia and New Zealand who were guests of Samaritans Purse. As I worshipped, led by our worship team, I couldn't help but delight once again in the international flavour. Our worship leader was from the Philippines, keyboard, drums and sound tech were from Nigeria, two guitar players from Korea and the third was from the US. Handling the powerpoint was a young man from India. Prayer was led by someone from the US; the offering lesson and prayer was led by a Malaysian. Then this Canadian preached! How great is that for an international mix!
I then enjoyed a lunch meeting and time of prayer with our church leadership team and a guest preacher from the US who had ministered at the main HIF congregation that morning.
In the afternoon Jan and I led a meeting for our Life Group leaders. Of the ten who attended, two were Malaysian, two from China, three from Singapore, one from Hong Kong and two from the US.
Following that meeting, Jan and I stopped at the apartment of new parents who had just returned from the hospital. The parents are Vietnamese and American, their newborn son is named Dennis Phuoc. It was a joy to have them show us pictures and then to pray with them for their little son.
This was the busiest day we have enjoyed in Vietnam. Most Sundays are not quite so interesting, but always we are grateful to be here.

INTERNATIONAL PEOPLE AND CHURCHES

Our daughter Jeannie taught at an International School in Milan, Italy. We were intrigued by her report that many of her colleagues would teach in one country for several years and then move to another country to teach. They were not temporarily out of their home country. In a sense they were nomads, internationals, or world citizens, enjoying and exploring life in various countries. For those rooted in their home country, it may be surprising to realize how large is this voluntary diaspora (or sometimes not so voluntary if their company insists they move).
I was reminded of this after lunch with a young friend yesterday. She is just finishing 3+1/2 years in Vietnam working in a US government posting. She will soon take up a new position in Central Asia which offers her a significant promotion but also a significant challenge: new country, new climate, new language, new culture. We know with her gifts and personality that she will do well, and that she will enjoy her new locale.
I mentioned that we might be able to give her a Christian contact name or two in her new city. But she had already done her homework and assured us that there is an international church there. This means that when she arrives in her new Central Asia country she will attend an English speaking church on her very first Sunday there.
Yes, it will be a brand new Christian fellowship, but it will be an instant, welcoming Christian fellowship in a city where she knows no one, a long way from home.There are huge adjustments required in a new country. The role played by an International Church can be huge for many people. I am grateful that we can be a part of such a faith community, providing a warm welcome and support for international people here in Hanoi.

PRAYING FOR JUSTICE

Justice is not easily obtained. Humans all struggle with prejudice, with favouritism and with fear. James warns Christians in the church too deal fairly with poor and rich visitors to their churches. He knew and wrote against the natural tendency to favour the wealthy and disdain the poor. (James 2:1 - 13) If it has often been hard for the poor to gain equal treatment in a church, how much more is this true in society.
If only our world responded to the wisdom and truth of God's Word. I thought about justice and the world we live in as I read Deuteronomy this morning. Here is the wise charge given 34 centuries ago by Moses, to the new judges appointed to assist him.
“Hear the disputes between your people and judge fairly, whether the case is between two Israelites or between an Israelite and a foreigner residing among you. Do not show partiality in judging; hear both small and great alike. Do not be afraid of anyone, for judgment belongs to God." Deut. 1:16 - 17 (See Ex. 18:17 - 27)
How different and better our world would be if these simple words were followed by those in authority in every country. In western countries where the rule of law is strong, we know that it is very difficult for the "small" to be heard in the same way as the "great". The average individual cannot afford the expert legal advice needed to be heard equally if appearing in court against a large company or against a wealthy individual. The "small" is not heard equally in court against the "great" in many family law cases - the one who can afford the best legal advice is the one who usually wins.
Justice, even when there are no bribes, even when everything is done according to the law, is difficult to find in too many cases. And this in countries where normally we enter the courtroom on level impartial ground.
Now imagine what it is like in countries where the rule of law has only begun to take root. In many countries, unlike what Moses instructs, the foreigner is at huge disadvantage against the citizen. In most situations, the poor have little chance to be treated with justice. Sadly, corruption and family or financial connections rule the day. In some countries, judges cannot judge without being "afraid of any man."
We need to pray for officials in these developing countries. We need to pray they will have the desire and the courage to make good laws and to enforce good laws. We need to pray for the development of honest and safe legal systems.
Why? Because our God is a God of justice. Our God cares deeply for the vulnerable and the poor. And we need to thank God for those who are committed to pursuing justice on behalf of those vulnerable ones - so often women and children.

HALLOWED BE YOUR NAME

Moses leads the stubborn people of Israel with such tenacity. He enjoys a personal relationship with God like few others. When we look for biblical material on godly leadership, most of us go to the example of Moses. And yet on one occasion he "loses it". In apparent anger and frustration, he fails to honor God in front of the people of Israel. As a result God tells Moses that he will not be allowed to enter the Promised Land: "Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites". Numbers 20:12
A few chapters later, Phinehas, grandson of Aaron, acts decisively and God commends him. "He and his descendants will have a covenant of a lasting priesthood, because he was zealous for the honor of his God". 25:13
Jesus told us to pray: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed (honored as holy) be your name". We should pray that the honor of God will be represented by the way Christ's followers talk and live. We should pray for those known as believers in government that they will represent Christ faithfully. We should pray for Christians  who are often in the media - as athletes, entertainers or whatever. Unlike most of us they have the opportunity to "hallow his name" in front of millions by what they do and say. We should pray for the reputation of our churches in the community - that what we do will represent Christ well so that people think more highly of our God.
As we live each day, may we, like Phinehas, be "zealous for the honor of our God." As Christ's ambassador, His honor should help motivate me to reject temptation to sin and lovingly serve others. We live and pray for the honor, the "hallowing" of God's name. 

SPEAKING ABOUT TALKING

I preached yesterday on James 3:1 - 12. In that passage, and in five other verses in the book, James warns against the misuse of our tongue. The pictures and parallels he uses are memorable. Our tongue is like a bit that can control a large horse; like a rudder that controls a large ship; like a small spark that can kindle a roaring forest fire. There is so much power in words and so often that power is used destructively.
Jan is reading a new book on her Kindle about introverts. Talking with an extrovert yesterday, Jan affirmed to the woman that those who are introverts and naturally slower to speak, have a natural advantage. They are far less likely to do damage verbally. Those of us who talk a lot need extra help from God to manage our tongues the way we should.
I shared with the congregation a paragraph I copied from a book (title unknown) many years ago. It provides a significant check up on that state of our tongue control.

"Can you go for twenty-four hours without saying anything unkind about anyone or to anyone?

Most honest people seem sure that they cannot go a whole day without at very least making unkind reference about another person.  “Then you have a serious problem,” I tell them.  “Because if I were to ask you whether you can go twenty-four hours without drinking any alcohol and you said you can’t, it means you are an alcoholic.  If you can’t go twenty –four hours without smoking a cigarette, that means you’re addicted to nicotine. And if you can’t go for twenty-four hours without speaking unkindly about or to another, you’ve lost control over your mouth."

Are you addicted to hurting others by the way you talk?

TOO RELAXED

I have driven by taxi to our office many times. On Tuesdays, Jan normally goes with me. After I get out at my "stop", she continues on to a small NGO, where she does some English tutoring with one of the employees, plus helps in other ways. As the taxe neared the office stop, I was relaxed and thinking of other things.
Suddenly I realized we were about to pass my stop. In my very limited Vietnamese I shouted to the driver: "turn left, turn left, turn left." That would have been very helpful except there was no place to turn left; and I didn't want him to turn left. What I should have shouted, and meant to shout was: "Stop here, stop here!" When I realized and corrected my mistake, the driver stopped, looked back and grinned. "You said "turn left" but I could not!" I said "excuse me" and exited the taxi.
Jan's Vietnamese, like mine, is far too limited to be able to explain to the driver what had just happened. Maybe he guessed: this poor confused foreigner has no idea what he is saying in Vietnamese! That kind of mistake reminds me of the times in Canada when I heard immigrants speaking English, but not making much sense. It is humbling.
Speaking of foreigners: following our Sunday morning service we were invited to join a few of our friends for lunch. It turned out that the "few" were actually over 30 adults and children, all ethnic Chinese from Malaysia and Singapore, plus one family from Hong Kong. We were the only foreigners from the West, and felt very much at home. The food was great at a nice Singapore Chinese restaurant. The fellowship and friendship was even better.

PRAY FOR LEADERS

Do you regularly pray for leaders? We are told to pray for those who lead our country. (I Timothy 2:1 - 3) Surprisingly, the Bible never (to my knowledge) tells us to pray for church leaders. Yet I guarantee they need God's help and thus need you to pray for that help to be extended. (We often read the Apostle Paul asking Christians to pray for him.)
The role of a leader is not easy, for a variety of reasons. Perhaps no one illustrates the challenges and burdens of leadership more than Moses. I was reviewing his painful example today as I read in the book of Numbers.
Many leaders become discouraged, but few have become as discouraged as Moses did. (Of course few ever faced such daunting leadership challenges as Moses did.) After another round of complaining from the nation of Israel, longing for the good (?) old days in Egypt (11:5), Moses has had enough. He says to God: "Why have you brought this trouble on your servant? What have I done to displease you that you put the burden of all these people on me? --- If this how you are going to treat me, put me to death right now - if I have found favour in your eyes - and do not let me face my own ruin." (11:11 - 15)
What a painful cry from a frustrated, discouraged, lonely leader! In this case, God provided for Moses some excellent help, and Moses burden of leadership is lightened.
In the next chapter, Moses' is criticized and challenged by his own family, his closest advisors, those who should have been his strongest supporters. Miriam and Aaron evidently are envious of Moses position, and assert that Moses is not so unique! They are equal to him! (Of course they are older; was there something here to do with sibling rivalry?) Are they trying to take his role, or just trying for more power and more prestige? Scripture does not elaborate. It simply records that God steps in and strongly, dramatically rebukes Miriam and Aaron for challenging Moses' leadership.
Right now you may have one or more discouraged leaders in your church. Perhaps not so discouraged that they want to die - but perhaps discouraged enough that they think about quitting. Will you pray for them?
While all leaders make mistakes, and all leaders need to be accountable to someone(s), it is often true that they receive more than their fair share of criticism. It especially hurts when attacks come from those who are close to the leader, from those who should be supporters as co-workers. Please pray that your leaders will stand strong when receiving unjustified criticism. Pray that when it is justified, it will be shared lovingly.
I believe strongly in multiple leadership. The burden of leading any but the smallest group is too large to be borne alone. Wise leaders make sure they are part of a team of leaders. However even when this is the case, some decisions, some roles must be taken by one person. And it is still true, it can be very lonely at the top. So please - pray for your leaders.

NEW IN THE OLD

One way to enjoy reading through the Old Testament is to watch for hints or parallels with the New Testament. There are Christians who mistakenly think that the God of the OT, and the teachings of the OT are in conflict with the NT. However if we pay close attention we see that the OT is preparing us for the NT. God is the same, His truth is the same; He is only gradually revealing Himself and His ultimate design for humans (sometimes called progressive revelation).
If you are a long time church attender, you have probably heard a number of sermons on stewardship. Perhaps I was even the preacher. When we study stewardship we understand that it is more than simply giving money to the church. Rather we are called to be stewards, managers of all God gives to us. All we have belongs to Him, He asks us to manage our abilities, our opportunities, our gifts, our time and our money for Him. We usually teach and preach this from the New Testament.
But look at what God tells His people Israel in the OT as He prepares them for their move into the Promised Land, what we call Palestine.

The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine and you reside in my land as foreigners and strangers." Leviticus 25:23 (NIV) Other translations use words like "foreigners and tenants or tenant farmers."

The people of Israel were to remember that the land they farmed was only on loan to them. They were stewards, managers or tenant farmers. God was the owner. This is a forerunner of the NT.  We who follow Christ sometimes mistakenly think we are owners, giving away some of what we own to the work of God, to people in need. Like Israel, we need to live with the perspective, God owns, I manage "my" resources for Him - both those I give and those I spend or use.

In the same chapter we read:
""For the people of Israel belong to me. They are my servants, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt. I am the LORD your God." Lev. 25:55 (see also vs. 42)

In context, God recognizes that some people will be very poor managers of their resources. They may lose all that they own and finally have only themselves to sell so that they can stay alive. God allows them to sell themselves to someone else but puts in some significant safeguards. (Read the chapter to see what these are.) They must be treated well, no matter how deeply in debt, how poor, helpless and vulnerable they become. Why? Because, says God, ultimately these people belong to me.
These passages point toward the clear NT teaching that when we come to faith in Christ, we are owned by Him. All of our resources are really His resources. We are to manage these with care, remembering that all we are and have belongs to the One who Created and Redeemed us.