Scripture: Leviticus 19:9–18
The Book of Leviticus is often called “the Book of Holiness.” The central call of God is clear:
“Be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy.” (Leviticus 19:2)
Holiness, in God’s design, is not merely about rituals at the altar; it is about how God’s people live among one another in society.
In Leviticus 19:9–18, the Lord reveals that holiness is inseparable from love — a love that is practical, social, and compassionate:
The passage climaxes with the timeless command:
“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (v.18)
In Hebrew: וְאָהַבְתָּ לְרֵעֲךָ כָּמוֹךָ (ve’ahavta lere’akha kamokha) —
“Love your neighbor with the same care and regard with which you love yourself.”
This is not sentiment; it is the moral DNA of those who dwell in God’s love.
Beloved, we often pray,
“Lord, keep me safe. Lord, bless me. Lord, protect me.”
But how often do we pray,
“Lord, help me to keep myself in Your love”?
Many long to feel the love of God, yet few are willing to be shaped by the character of that love. They want the blessing of love, not the discipline of love.
So the question arises:
“How do I know I am truly living in the love of God —
not merely reciting the word love, but abiding in it?”
Leviticus 19 teaches us that keeping ourselves in the love of God is not mystical emotion — it is lived out in community.
There are three marks of those who keep themselves in God’s love:
“When you reap the harvest of your land,
you shall not reap to the very edges of your field,
neither shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest.
You shall leave them for the poor and for the stranger.
I am the LORD your God.”
Here the Lord commands what we may call “the margin of mercy.” Israel was not allowed to harvest every last grain — they had to leave space for the poor and the foreigner (ger – גֵּר).
This was not random charity; it was structured compassion. Love for neighbor was to be woven into the nation’s economy.
The love of God rejects greed. To keep yourself in His love is to refuse a lifestyle that consumes everything for yourself.
Practical Application:
Illustration:
At a dinner table, one person always chooses the largest piece, another quietly takes the smallest so that others may have more. Which one looks more like Christ?
Parallel Verses:
Deuteronomy 24:19–22 — Gleanings belong to the poor and the foreigner.
Proverbs 19:17 — He who is kind to the poor lends to the Lord.
2 Corinthians 9:7–8 — God loves a cheerful giver.
“You shall not steal; you shall not deal falsely;
you shall not lie to one another…
You shall not oppress your neighbor or rob him.
The wages of a hired worker shall not remain with you until morning.”
Holiness is not confined to worship — it is displayed in integrity and fairness.
The Hebrew word for “oppress” is עָשַׁק (‘ashaq) — to exploit, to hold back what is rightfully another’s. The Lord detests such oppression.
To live in His love means to treat others as sacred, never as tools to serve our selfish ends.
Practical Application:
Illustration:
Some wash their hands before prayer, but then defile them with deceit in the marketplace. That is not holiness — it is hypocrisy with perfume.
Parallel Verses:
Proverbs 11:1 — False scales are an abomination to the LORD.
Ephesians 4:25 — Speak the truth to one another.
James 5:4 — The cries of unpaid workers reach the Lord of Hosts.
“You shall not hate your brother in your heart…
You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people,
but you shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.”
God’s holiness reaches into our inner motives. He forbids not only outward violence, but the inward fire of hatred.
The Hebrew word for rebuke in verse 17 is הוֹכֵחַ (hokhiach) — it means to confront in love, to correct so that your neighbor may live. True love does not ignore sin; it restores the sinner with gentleness.
Practical Application:
Illustration:
Unforgiveness is like garbage left uncollected — soon it breeds worms and stench. Hatred does not protect your soul; it corrodes it.
Parallel Verses:
Matthew 22:37–39 — Love your neighbor as yourself.
Romans 12:17–19 — Do not repay evil for evil; leave vengeance to God.
Ephesians 4:31–32 — Forgive one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Beloved, keeping yourself in the love of God is not passive; it is an act of daily surrender.
Today let this be our prayer:
“Lord, help me to live with a generous heart,
honest hands, and relationships free from bitterness.”
For the love of God is not an idea to admire — it is the very air the soul must breathe.
Closing Poetic Reflection:
When the harvest ripens, leave a share,
For those whose hands are weak in prayer.
A heart kept clean, a life made fair,
Will shine God’s love everywhere.
“You shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.” (Leviticus 19:18)
Leviticus chapter 19 is part of the “Holiness Code” — a collection of laws that teach how the people of Israel, as God’s holy people, must live differently from other nations.
Verses 9–10 specifically speak about social concern in an agrarian context.
So, the context here is not merely about giving money or spontaneous charity, but about intentionally providing space within one’s work or harvest for those in need—as an expression of love and structured social justice.
In Hebrew, the key word is “ta‘azov” (תַּעֲזֹב) — which means “to leave behind, to let go, to permit to remain.”
This is not a spontaneous action but a deliberate lifestyle choice:
they were to intentionally leave behind some of their harvest so that the poor could gather what remained.
➡️ The principle:
Giving is not a momentary act of pity, but a social responsibility woven into worship and obedience to God.
Not entirely the same, but it springs from the same root of love for one’s neighbor.
Giving to a beggar can be an expression of compassion,
but it should not stop there.
The principle in Leviticus 19 challenges us to develop ways of giving that preserve dignity and empower others,
not merely relieve immediate need.