21st Century Gleaning?

Jock Stein December 20, 2024 4 1

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Leviticus 19: 9-10 (NRSVA)

9 When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very edges of your field, or gather the gleanings of your harvest. 10 You shall not strip your vineyard bare, or gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the alien: I am the Lord your God.

Today we make a jump back from Luke to Leviticus and find ourselves literally gleaning corn, that is, picking up what is left after the knives in hand or combine have passed over the crop and done their work, and the same equivalent with a grape harvest. There is a principle here, first of recognising that ‘the poor are always with us’ and second, providing them with a share. In Israel they had to work to get the gleanings, and unfortunately that later translated literally into the workhouse (and now the sometimes over-officious ‘making those on State provision always seek for work’), but it is still the case that wherever possible people should find work of some kind rather than simply exist on benefits. In traditional societies this was done through extended family and community relationships, but in modern society anonymity has enforced bureaucratic methods. In spite of this, thoughtful families and businesses may be able to practise ‘creative care’.

A modern literal application is the injunction to leave hedgerows intact, and not take crops too efficiently, so that poor birds and little animals can find a habitat. Good practice is green, and green gleaning gleams in the sight of God and good men and women.

The two verses end with a chorus going through the chapter: ‘I am the Lord your God.’ We no longer live in a society where such a faith underlies our common life – but we accept it, and pray God’s help to live by it.

PRAY

God of home and hedgerow, God of seeding and harvest, we hunger for a greener planet, for a change of direction, for real, green peace. We long for better economics, for wiser leadership. Bring back to our postmodern world a narrative of hope; bring forward to our ignorant world a greenprint of proper progress; bring on your kingdom, we pray – in Jesus’ name. Amen.