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Deuteronomy 23.24, 25
24 “When you come into your neighbor’s vineyard, you may eat your fill of grapes at your pleasure, but you shall not put any in your container. 25 When you come into your neighbor’s standing grain, you may pluck the heads with your hand, but you shall not use a sickle on your neighbor’s standing grain.”
Two principles are suggested by this statute.
First, Israel was to remember that the earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it (Ps. 24.1). They held their property in trust for Him and were expected to use it as He Himself would – generously and with a view to the needs of others.
We are our neighbor’s keeper, and we must always be prepared to share our property with those in need.
But, second, the needy must not take advantage. You could eat your fill of grapes or grain while you were passing through, but you could not put any in your bag or cut any with a sickle for later consumption.
Our neighbor is to be generous, but we must always respect his property as just that – his.
T. M. Moore
The Law of God is the soil which, fertilized by the rest of God’s Word and watered by His Spirit, brings forth the fruit of Christian life. If you’d like to understand this process better, and how to make best use of the Law in your walk with and work for the Lord, order the book, The Ground for Christian Ethics, from our online store.
Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.