Humanity has shown a long-standing tradition and pattern of love and kindness that can be seen from this story of two brothers carrying nourishing wheat to each other’s pile. Perhaps this verse gives insight into the origin…...Long, long ago in the land of Israel, there lived two brothers who loved each other very much. They were poor wheat farmers, and they shared but one field, which yielded very little harvest during the year. The younger brother lived on one side of the field in a two-room house with his wife and children, and the older brother lived alone in a one-room house on the opposite side of the field.
One night during harvest-time, the older brother awoke suddenly. He sat up in his bed, thinking, “It’s not fair that I should receive an equal share of the wheat with my brother. He should have a greater share because he has a wife and children to feed besides himself. It must be very difficult for him, yet he never complains.”
So the older brother got up from his bed, dressed, and went out to where he kept his wheat. It took him several trips across the dark field to carry a goodly portion of his wheat to his brother’s wheat pile. When he returned home, he slept peacefully the rest of the night.
Later that same night the younger brother awoke suddenly. He sat up in his bed, thinking, “It’s not fair that I should receive an equal share of the wheat with my brother. I have a wife and children. When I grow old, I will have someone to care for me, to provide food for me. My brother has no children. When he grows old, he will be alone. He should have the greater share of the wheat so that he can sell some of it to provide for his old age.”
So the younger brother got up from his bed, dressed, and went out to where he kept his wheat. It took him several trips across the dark field to carry a goodly portion of his wheat to his brother’s wheat pile. When he returned home, he slept peacefully the rest of the night.
The next day each brother looked in amazement at his own pile of wheat, only to discover that it had not diminished!
The brothers again worked in the field, divided the wheat, and added wheat to each other’s pile during the night. And so it continued for many nights during the harvest.
One night as the older brother was carrying his wheat across the field, he saw his younger brother carrying his wheat across the field. They stopped and looked at each other and at what the other one was carrying. Then they understood why the wheat piles never grew smaller. They both realized how much they loved and cared for each other.
The brothers dropped their bundles of wheat to the ground, ran to each other, and embraced.
God saw the love that these brothers had for each other. He blessed their field, and the field became more and more fertile. The brothers grew much wheat together, enough for both to live on when they grew older.
“Show me thy ways, oh Lord, teach me thy paths. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me for thou art my God and my salvation… Remember, oh Lord, thy tender mercies and thy loving kindnesses; Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions…” Psalms 25:4-6
In recognition of our great need for redemption and liberty from our human frailties and weakness, we see that we are utterly dependent on our Creator’s extension of mercy in our life. He is the giver of all good gifts and lovingkindness to us. He gives us the breath of life each moment and provides the life-giving Earth and the power within us to act in accordance with our will towards abundance or scarcity.
Is it possible in all this, He has given us living examples and models of a law of life and a cultural way of living that holds these standards? He graciously offers us the direction, laws and embodied examples in the lives of many great and noble souls along our path to return back to the Garden of Eden and live with Him.
Abraham and Sarah emulated this culture when they entertained three holy visitors at the door of their tent. Abraham bowed himself low. He washed their feet and invited them to rest in the shade of the tree. He and Sarah then extended themselves further to prepare bread, meat and milk so their guests could be nourished as they rested.
This kindness of strangers, or of family members, shows us how to be. It shows us the way of our original culture. It is our story and who we are. It was not just everyday kindness which was shown, it went beyond the gestures and much deeper. Abraham and Sarah went out of their way to make a special meal of bread, to kill one of their animals to provide meat, and milk their animals for more than just water to drink. This hospitality shows additional levels of an extension of themselves and a sacrificing of their own provisions. It was done with a familial effort of love.
When Jesus of Nazareth taught of the traveler who fell among thieves and was passed over by a Priest and a Levite, and eventually picked up by a Samaritan man who dressed his wounds, and carried him to an inn to provide for him then and in the future, he showed us our Original Culture and story. This was an act of true love; a familial effort of loving sacrifice and lovingkindness.
No matter the person, whether a friend or an enemy, extending ourselves in this lovingkindness is who we are. This understanding and choice goes far beyond a specific religion to the foundation of humanity, and helps us comprehend our Original Culture & Story of service and ministry modeled after a pattern as far back as the extension of Light to all Creation from the Creator though the Sun, Moon and Stars.
In recognition of our great need for redemption and liberty from our human frailties and weakness, we see that we are utterly dependent on our Creator’s extension of mercy in our life. He is the giver of all good gifts and lovingkindness to us. He gives us the breath of life each moment and provides the life-giving Earth and the power within us to act in accordance with our will towards abundance or scarcity.
Is it possible in all this, He has given us living examples and models of a law of life and a cultural way of living that holds these standards? He graciously offers us the direction, laws and embodied examples in the lives of many great and noble souls along our path to return back to the Garden of Eden and live with Him.
Abraham and Sarah emulated this culture when they entertained three holy visitors at the door of their tent. Abraham bowed himself low. He washed their feet and invited them to rest in the shade of the tree. He and Sarah then extended themselves further to prepare bread, meat and milk so their guests could be nourished as they rested.This kindness of strangers, or of family members, shows us how to be. It shows us the way of our original culture. It is our story and who we are. It was not just everyday kindness which was shown, it went beyond the gestures and much deeper. Abraham and Sarah went out of their way to make a special meal of bread, to kill one of their animals to provide meat, and milk their animals for more than just water to drink. This hospitality shows additional levels of an extension of themselves and a sacrificing of their own provisions. It was done with a familial effort of love.
When Jesus of Nazareth taught of the traveler who fell among thieves and was passed over by a Priest and a Levite, and eventually picked up by a Samaritan man who dressed his wounds, and carried him to an inn to provide for him then and in the future, he showed us our Original Culture and story. This was an act of true love; a familial effort of loving sacrifice and lovingkindness.
No matter the person, whether a friend or an enemy, extending ourselves in this lovingkindness is who we are. This understanding and choice goes far beyond a specific religion to the foundation of humanity, and helps us comprehend our Original Culture & Story of service and ministry modeled after a pattern as far back as the extension of Light to all Creation from the Creator though the Sun, Moon and Stars.
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| The Hebrew Model: Restoring Our Original Culture & Story by Katie Hansen |
~ Excerpt from The Hebrew Model: Restoring Our Original Culture & Story. To get on the list to receive notice of this upcoming book, add your email HERE.
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