Deuteronomy 24:10,11
“When you make your neighbor a loan of any sort, you shall not enter his house to take his pledge. “You shall remain outside, and the man to whom you make the loan shall bring the pledge out to you.”
When borrowing occurs, a power differential exists. The borrower is indebted. A lender may take advantage of this new power. Some use this as an occasion to be abusive. Barging into someone’s house would be disrespectful. Today’s passage takes away that option. We are always be respectful to others.
James 3:9,10 gives an interesting reason for this respect. “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.” We are to be respectful because we all have been created in the image of God. People are special. Like a child being called junior. We know that the child is special in his parents eyes. So, also are we.
This is significant. This should change the way we see people. Particularly the “least of these”. Some have poor social skills, some are needy, some are just younger, some are down and out. I picture the vagrants living on the streets. We seem to see them as “lesser”. However, they also are made in the image of God.
This should be encouraging. We may be seen as “lesser” by some. They can make us feel poorly about ourselves. This passage counters that. God sees us with respect. People will still belittle us. We aren’t to accept it. We need to see ourselves as who we are.
Lord, help us to be respectful and to see ourselves as You do. We are created in Your image. Let our behavior and thoughts be affected by this.