Community

Do not charge a fellow Israelite interest, whether on money or food or anything else that may earn interest. Deuteronomy 23:19

Community puts the need of the whole above self. God has called us to community and it is not a new thing. Here God’s command is not to charge interest when helping a fellow Israelite (for us it would be fellow Christian). It is not for us to seek gain when we are helping someone. In a community, you don’t need to. If you find yourself in need later, you won’t need to go to your savings account – you will go to the community and they will help you as you had earlier helped someone else. We do not do community so well today. Everyone is expected to take care of their own needs. Something is lost when we don’t ask for help/offer help. Perhaps a situation will arise today where you can find back that sense of community that God has given. Look for it. God took the first step—he gave us Jesus (and did not charge us a dime)!