Leviticus 19:14 “‘Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind, but fear your God. I am the LORD.'”

When you think about it, it’s pretty remarkable that proper treatment of the handicapped was codified over 3000 years ago. The sad thing is, people still violate these instructions. Being in a multilingual cross-cultural situation, I couldn’t begin to count the number of times I’ve heard people of one nationality say rude, or worse, things about people of another nationality, on the assumption that the other person couldn’t understand what was said. That’s the functional equivalent of what is stated here about dealing with deaf people. Because I’m bilingual I can understand it either way, and it has disturbed me to the point of anger even when I’ve not been the brunt of it. I visit in hospitals a lot, and on both sides of the Pacific I’ve heard medical people say things in the presence of patients whom they didn’t think could hear and/or understand that should never have been said, and I’ve got anecdotes to show that often they DO hear and understand. I have scolded people outright for parking bicycles or motorbikes in the way of handicapped slopes for entering buildings, and there have been many more times that I have wanted to. Such insensitivity violates what this verse says about the blind. The point is, people don’t fear God, which this verse points out should be sufficient motivation to treat people right. As they saying has it, “There, but for the grace of God, go I.” When we have that attitude we will be gentle and considerate in all our dealings, and everyone will benefit.

I get worked up over seeing this principle violated by others, but I can’t say I’m totally innocent myself. Particularly when our family has been visiting the US, we have indulged in snide remarks about the people around us, confident they didn’t understand Japanese. That isn’t fearing God either! I’ve got to remember at all times that God loves the people around me just as much as He loves me, and I’m to act accordingly. That applies not just in the matter of physical handicaps, but in every other area as well.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Help me appreciate and appropriate Your grace and love more and more, so that I may extend them more and more to those around me, for their blessing and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!