You shall not sow your vineyard with two kinds of
seed, lest the whole yield be forfeited, the crop that you have sown and
the yield of the vineyard. You shall not plow with an ox and a donkey
together. You shall not wear cloth of wool and linen mixed together. (Devarim/Deuteronomy
22:9-11)
It is difficult to know why God directed the people of Israel to
avoid the combinations listed here. We can guess, though I am not a fan
of guessing as an interpretive tool. Still, I don't know why one would
yoke together an ox and a donkey for plowing, but I am not a farmer. The
wool and linen cloth mixture sounds like a real challenge for cleaning,
not to mention how over time the two materials would likely react
differently, causing problems for long-term wear. But why is this
forbidden? And the prohibition regarding sowing two kinds of seeds in
one vineyard?-we are told that the result would be pretty bad. Is that
true? God says it is. Then it must be true! But is it true only for
Israel in ancient times, only for Israel for all time, true for all
people everywhere forever? I don't know.
But I do know this: some things don't go together. Just because you
can put them together doesn't mean we should. Just because you can,
doesn't mean it's good. Something else I know: this runs against the
philosophy of progress that dictates that every innovation is morally
neutral. Industry's approach to innovation is, generally speaking, that
unless we can prove that something is significantly destructive, then
there's no reason not to pursue it. The problem in determining whether
or not something is destructive is that it takes more time than industry
is willing to wait. Moreover, determining what constitutes
"destructive" is highly subjective. The media is full of
controversy over the effects of all sorts of innovations having to do
with human beings, animals, and the environment. But who's right? That
doesn't seem to matter, however, because the hunger for uncontrolled
innovation is fueled by the false god, Money, which appears to trump any
concern for ethical responsibility.
But God's directives in our quoted verses should cause us to at least
pause a moment before engaging in uncontrolled innovation in the three
areas of food production, our responsibility towards animals, and
manufacturing. Taking time to carefully think about God's directives and
how they might apply to specific situations is the key to establishing
healthy, godly, and constructive practices.
Many people who reject the Bible's concept of an all-powerful, good
supreme being often do so because of the various things wrong with the
world. "How could a good God allow evil in the world?" they
say. But this is more of a misunderstanding as to the role of human
beings than it is of God. God could take more control, but that is not
how he has designed life or the role of people. From the beginning God
gave human beings the responsibility to represent him and his interests
within the creation. He didn't design us to live by instinct or
mechanical control, but rather as a loving father to a child, he desires
to instruct us in his ways. From day one (or more specifically day six),
he has been speaking to people with the intention that we would learn
how to live out our lives based on his wisdom and direction.
So the reason why the world isn't what it should be is because we
ignore God's voice and insist on our own way. Human rebellion against
God is why there's evil in the world. For God to completely overrule our
authority on Earth would be to undermine his very design.
This takes us back to the practical question, how do these directives
apply to today. To whom shall we go for answers? Maybe it's you. Could
it be that God already has his people in these industries and wants to
provide them with the wisdom needed? This applies to all sorts of other
commercial and non-commercial areas of life.
You certainly will not get an answer if you don't think that God is
concerned about such things. You will not hear his voice if you don't
learn to be attentive to it. But if you take the time to study his Word,
and have the courage to invite him into your work and personal life,
asking him for wisdom in everything you do, he will instruct you in his
ways.
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Unless otherwise noted, scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible,
English Standard Version®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a
publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All
rights reserved.
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