February 1st Devotion

Exodus 30:11-15 (NIV)
11 Then the LORD said to Moses, 12 "When you take a census of the Israelites to count them, each one must pay the LORD a ransom for his life at the time he is counted. Then no plague will come on them when you number them. 13 Each one who crosses over to those already counted is to give a half shekel, according to the sanctuary shekel, which weighs twenty gerahs. This half shekel is an offering to the LORD. 14 All who cross over, those twenty years old or more, are to give an offering to the LORD. 15 The rich are not to give more than a half shekel and the poor are not to give less when you make the offering to the LORD to atone for your lives.

How do we count worth? We weigh worth every day. Rich people or worth more financially than poor people, and we often count their worth that way. People who have done us wrong are often considered worthless. We often decide someone’s worthiness or unworthiness, based on our relationship with them. There are obviously some people that can benefit us more than others. Is a righteous man worth more than an unrighteous one? Which life is more worthy?

Today’s passage concerns money offered to the Lord for our ransom. God makes a distinction between the rich and poor. What are their lives worth? Exactly the same.

Love, Pastor Don