Does God allow us to devote others to his service?

Yes … yes he does.

Or he did. Here is what God says: “Nothing that a man devotes to the Lord—not even a man—may be redeemed. Everything so devoted is most holy to the Lord.” Leviticus 27:28

This is how one mother offered her child to the Lord’s service:
After he was weaned, Hannah took the boy with her, young as he was … and brought the boy to Eli and she said to him, “Pardon me, my lord. As surely as you live, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the Lord. I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.” 1 Samuel 1:21-28

“If anyone makes a special vow to the Lord involving the valuation of persons, then the valuation” is as such:

A male age 20-60, 20 ounces of silver
A female age 20-60, 12 ounces of silver
A male age 5-20, 8 ounces of silver
A female age 5-20, 4 ounces of silver
A male age i month to 5 years, 2 ounces of silver
A female age i month to 5 years, 1.25 ounces of silver
A male age 60 years or older, 6 ounces of silver
A female age 60 years or older, 4 ounces of silver”

These verses provide the redemption value: the value to be paid to redeem someone from God’s service. Christ has already paid this price for us, but what if each of us were to devote those we love to God and pay our Lord their silver valuation as a tithe to affirm our prayer that God would use that individual for his service? Something to ponder.

Did God really say it’s okay to burn the meat?

Yes … yes he did.

In fact, sometimes God burns the meat. Here is how it happened. “Fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat portions on the altar. And when all the people saw it, they shouted for joy and fell facedown.” Leviticus 9:24

Now to be clear, the people were participating in the sacrifice of the sin offering, the burnt offering and the fellowship offering, so this was not your normal summer cookout. For the family and friends gathered around the tent of meeting, this was a sacred event. But still … God scorched the meat and the people rejoiced.

So for all you backyard chefs out there, the next time you burn the meat and someone complains, remind them that God burned the burgers and guests applauded. Then suggest they try your wife’s green pea tofu dip. After a few chips dipped in what looks and tastes like Play Dough, maybe burned hotdogs won’t seem so bad.

Did God Really Say Bald is the new “clean” look?

Yes … yes he did.

Sort of.

What God said was this: “When a man has lost his hair and is bald, he is clean. If he has lost his hair from the front of his scalp and has a bald forehead, he is clean. But if he has a reddish-white sore on his bald head or forehead, it is an infectious disease.”Leviticus 13:40-42

So if every hair on your head is numbered, as Christ claimed (Luke 12:7), and all your hairs are missing, take it as confirming sign from God that you are clean. You will still need to shower and bathe, but you can skip the shampoo and rinse.

Did God really say we are to discriminate?

Yes … yes He did.

This is what God says, “Anyone who sins defiantly, whether native-born or alien, blasphemies the Lord. That person must be cut off from his people. Because he has despised the Lord’s word and broken his commands, that person must surely be cut off. His guilt remains on him.” Numbers 15:30-31

Jesus said, “If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. If he still refuses to listen, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.” Matthew 18:17

The Apostle Paul said, “It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father’s wife. And you approve! When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 5:1-13 Paul also warned, “If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.” 2 Thessalonians 3:14-15

There are any number of other verses that command us to avoid discriminating against someone based on his or her ethnicity, gender, or social status. Here are two examples.

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:28

“For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?” James 2:2-4

But when it comes to sinful behavior, God, Christ, and the Apostle Paul are in agreement: If you, in private and with love, show them how their behavior is at odds with God’s word and they repent of their sin, you have acted as a true disciple of Christ. If, however, they continue to flaunt their sinful behavior, have nothing to do with them.

This goes for any community that tolerates sin and calls it love. “Bad company corrupts good morals.” 1 Corinthians 15:33

Love your neighbor as yourself; refuse to tolerate sin. This sums up the life and teachings of Christ on discrimination.