I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Exodus 22-24.

Today’s passage continues from yesterday with the laws God gave Moses about how the Israelites were to order their society.  I want to highlight a point made in chapter 23.  Justice should not be slanted either in favor of or against the poor.   Scattered throughout the passage are multiple instructions which paint a picture of taking personal responsibility to help those around us.  One of the laws warns us against falsely accusing others of wrongdoing.  While the context of that particular verse suggests it is talking about doing so before the authorities, it seems to me to also cover falsely accusing someone of wrongdoing to other people.  Another verse tells us that if our enemy’s valuable animal has strayed and we find it, we should return it.  Taken all together, justice should be meted out evenly to the rich and the poor, to those we like and those we dislike, everyone should be treated with respect and dignity.  If we take advantage of those who cannot defend their own interests, God will step in.  If we see those who cannot defend their own interests being taken advantage of, we should defend their interests as best we can.