Susanna 60-64
Relax, Read and Reflect
Prayer- Lord, Open our hearts and open our minds and help us learn. Go-Fight-Win. Amen.
60 With that all the assembly cried out with a loud voice, and praised God, who saveth them that trust in him.
61 And they arose against the two elders, for Daniel had convicted them of false witness by their own mouth:
62 And according to the law of Moses they did unto them in such sort as they maliciously intended to do to their neighbour: and they put them to death. Thus the innocent blood was saved the same day.
63 Therefore Chelcias and his wife praised God for their daughter Susanna, with Joacim her husband, and all the kindred, because there was no dishonesty found in her.
64 From that day forth was Daniel had in great reputation in the sight of the people.
So...What have we learned? Besides always have a good lawyer, this story champions several things. Virtue triumphs in the end. Susanna was virtuous, and even though things looked bad for a while, she was rescued. To trite. The reality was that actually dishonesty worked-until God got involved.
That may be the best lesson in the story. Things may appear open and shut, but there is usually two stories. The elders only heard what the evil men claimed, and that was false. Even the great and wise Daniel did not use Susanna to testify. He let the evil men’s own testimony condemn themselves. (You did not see that until now did you?)
We live in an imperfect and very complicated world. Life is not always black and white. It is usually some shade in between. Laws are, however, written in black and white. It is our job as humans to look at the gray. Christians are people. Do not always assume we live in a black and white world in our religion. There may be two stories, and many times they are not as clear cut good and evil as the book of Susanna.
There is good news, God knows. This is one of that many reasons to always go to God in prayer.
Prayer- God, give us wisdom to see shades of gray. Let us work to do the right thing so that by our reputation we may help others. Go-Fight-Win. Amen.
Prayer- Lord, Open our hearts and open our minds and help us learn. Go-Fight-Win. Amen.
60 With that all the assembly cried out with a loud voice, and praised God, who saveth them that trust in him.
61 And they arose against the two elders, for Daniel had convicted them of false witness by their own mouth:
62 And according to the law of Moses they did unto them in such sort as they maliciously intended to do to their neighbour: and they put them to death. Thus the innocent blood was saved the same day.
63 Therefore Chelcias and his wife praised God for their daughter Susanna, with Joacim her husband, and all the kindred, because there was no dishonesty found in her.
64 From that day forth was Daniel had in great reputation in the sight of the people.
So...What have we learned? Besides always have a good lawyer, this story champions several things. Virtue triumphs in the end. Susanna was virtuous, and even though things looked bad for a while, she was rescued. To trite. The reality was that actually dishonesty worked-until God got involved.
That may be the best lesson in the story. Things may appear open and shut, but there is usually two stories. The elders only heard what the evil men claimed, and that was false. Even the great and wise Daniel did not use Susanna to testify. He let the evil men’s own testimony condemn themselves. (You did not see that until now did you?)
We live in an imperfect and very complicated world. Life is not always black and white. It is usually some shade in between. Laws are, however, written in black and white. It is our job as humans to look at the gray. Christians are people. Do not always assume we live in a black and white world in our religion. There may be two stories, and many times they are not as clear cut good and evil as the book of Susanna.
There is good news, God knows. This is one of that many reasons to always go to God in prayer.
Prayer- God, give us wisdom to see shades of gray. Let us work to do the right thing so that by our reputation we may help others. Go-Fight-Win. Amen.
posted by Steve Killam TMTL | 10:30 AM
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