Welcome to today's Daily PBJ devotional. If you're reading the Old Testament with us this year, read Exodus 22, Job 40, and Psalm 70. This devotional is about Exodus 22. If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and slaughters it or sells it, he must repay five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep. If a thief is caught breaking in and is beaten to death, no one shall be guilty of bloodshed. But if it happens after sunrise, there is guilt for his bloodshed. A thief must make full restitution. If he has nothing, he himself shall be sold for his theft. If what was stolen is actually found alive in his possession, whether ox or donkey or sheep, he must pay back double. If a man grazes his livestock in a field or vineyard and allows them to stray so that they graze in someone else's field, he must make restitution from the best of his own field or vineyard. If a fire breaks out and spreads to thorn bushes, so that it consumes stacked or standing grain, or the whole field, the one who started the fire must make full restitution. If a man gives his neighbor money or goods for safekeeping and they are stolen from the neighbor's house, the thief, if caught, must pay back double. If the thief is not found, the owner of the house must appear before the judges to determine whether he has taken his neighbor's property. In all cases of illegal possession of an ox, a donkey, a sheep, a garment, or any lost item that someone claims, this is mine, both parties shall bring their cases before the judges. The one whom the judges find guilty must pay back double to his neighbor. If a man gives a donkey, an ox, a sheep, or any other animal to be cared for by his neighbor, but it dies or is injured or stolen while no one is watching, an oath before the Lord shall be made between the parties to determine whether or not the man has taken his neighbor's property. The owner must accept the oath and require no restitution. But if the animal was actually stolen from the neighbor, he must make restitution to the owner. If the animal was torn to pieces, he shall bring it as evidence. He need not make restitution for the torn carcass. If a man borrows an animal from his neighbor, and it is injured or dies while its owner is not present, he must make full restitution. If the owner was present, no restitution is required. If the animal was rented, the fee covers the loss. If a man seduces a virgin who is not pledged in marriage, and sleeps with her, he must pay the full dowry for her to be his wife. If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, the man still must pay an amount comparable to the bridal price of a virgin. You must not allow a sorceress to live. Whoever lies with an animal must surely be put to death. If anyone sacrifices to any god other than the Lord alone, he must be set apart for destruction. You must not exploit or oppress a foreign resident, for you yourselves were foreigners in the land of Egypt. You must not mistreat any widow or orphan. If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to me in distress, I will surely hear their cry. My anger will be kindled, and I will kill you with the sword. Then your wives will become widows, and your children will be fatherless. If you lend money to one of my people among you who is poor, you must not act as a creditor to him. You are not to charge him interest. If you take your neighbor's cloak as collateral, return it to him by sunset, because his cloak is the only covering he has for his body. What else will he sleep in? And if he cries out to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate. You must not blaspheme God or curse the ruler of your people. You must not hold back offerings from your granaries or vats. You are to give me the firstborn of your sons. You shall do likewise with your cattle and your sheep. Let them stay with their mothers for seven days, but on the eighth day you are to give them to me. You are to be my holy people. You must not eat the meat of a mauled animal found in the field. You are to throw it to the dogs. This is God's word. The New Testament teaches us that we are not under the law of Moses. That means we are not to try to earn saving favor with God by keeping his commandments. There are two reasons why we should not try to be justified by keeping the law. First of all, because we can't do it. Compared to the federal, state, and local codes we live under, God's law is short and simple. Still, because we are sinners, none of us has obeyed it or could obey it perfectly. Secondly, we should not obey the Old Testament law because Jesus did it for us. The reason why we are declared righteous before God when we trust in Jesus is that Jesus kept the law perfectly. We call this His active obedience in systematic theology. And then he also paid the penalty for all the ways we've broken God's laws. We call this his passive obedience in theology. So because we are in Christ, We do not try to earn God's favor by keeping the law. But that doesn't mean that the moral laws of God are irrelevant to us. In this chapter, God spelled out some important laws for his people to follow. In verses 1 through 15, he commanded someone who deprived another person of their property to pay it back, often more than what was taken. It does matter if it was outright theft, according to verses 1 through 4, or carelessness or negligence as we see in verses 5 through 7 and verses 10 through 15. A major purpose of these and all of God's laws were to set his people apart from those around them. Verse 31a says, and this is the NIV's words, you are to be my holy people. That means a people set apart from the world around them. The world around them sought to get away with stealing from others or depriving them through negligence. God wanted his people to act ethically and responsibly in these situations. Laws like these should get us to reflect on our own lives. Do we take value from others directly or refuse to pay if we take value from them indirectly and inadvertently? These are sins in the sight of God, just as much as they were when God's people were in the desert. Want to stand out in this world for the glory of Jesus Christ? Then be honest and ethical in the way you deal with others. Take responsibility and pay up when you've caused someone else a loss. When we do these things, we are not trying to win God's favor. Instead, God's gracious gift of spiritual life is compelling us to be honest and ethical, pure and righteous in our dealings with others. This is the way we as Christians reflect the glory of God. God is ethical and righteous. He is pure and honest. And because we know him by faith, we want to be the same way. We want to be like our Father in heaven. And so this is what God's law for us does. It teaches us what is right and just. Not so that we can earn God's favor, but so that we can show the glory of God, the God who saved us, the God that we love. the God that we serve with our lives. So, have you caused someone else a loss? Is there something in your life where you're tempted to be unethical or somewhat dishonest? Change that today, and I'll see you next time. May God bless you. I hope you have a great day today.