When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the Levitical priests. (Deuteronomy 17:18)
I
know, we aren’t to Christmas yet and I’m starting on my New Year series. It’s
frustrating when stores have their stuff out for holidays two months in
advance, but that’s the only way their shoppers can have time to leisurely
shop. Imagine if you have no choice but to buy all your Christmas decorations,
presents, and goodies on Christmas Eve? I know, most of us would find ways around it, but I’m
starting on this annual “sermon” series so we all have time to consider and
prepare.
Today’s
passage has several applications. The first is writing Scripture. This isn’t one
of my practices, but I have a friend who tells of the value of hand-writing
passages of Scripture. I’ve read that writing in a journal or on pieces of
paper connects you to the writing and to your creativity more than typing on a
keyboard. It’s a practice all of us should at least consider for 2024.
The
second is journaling, whether with a pen or in a computer. No matter how you go
about it, putting what you are doing, thinking, and/or feeling in writing gives
clarity and resolution. It’s a means of processing what you might not be able
to process by letting it ride a merry-go-round in your mind. It also lets you
look back – and perhaps see something you didn’t see at the time.
The
third is directing yourself. This could be said to go back to the notion of
mission statements, or listing the rules and principles by which you are going to live, writing your goals or
resolutions for 2024, or even a daily to do list. Thinking about and writing
down your directions to yourself internalizes them better than just thinking
about them. You can put them where you can see them regularly and be reminded
what it was you wanted to do when some other choice wasn’t tempting or
intoxicating you.
This
last is probably the main reason kings were supposed to write out a copy of the
Law in their own hand, from a copy provided by the priests. They didn’t get to make
their own laws from scratch. There were already laws in place and they were to
be aware of them. It’s also interesting to note that this commandment made it a
requirement that kings be educated sufficiently to know how to write. It
required that they learn the history of their people, since the Law included that
history. And whether they liked it or not, it meant that they were going to be
influenced by what they read.
I
don’t think it’s recorded that any king of Israel ever obeyed this command. It
would have been a daunting task, probably requiring months of attention. But a
Dallas Willard points out, we have personal kingdoms and queendoms. It would be
a great benefit to us all if we were more deliberate and thoughtful about it,
and if we set goals and practiced doing things that will make us better leaders
– if even just within our own lives.
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