Exodus 22:5 “If anyone grazes their livestock in a field or vineyard and lets them stray and they graze in someone else’s field, the offender must make restitution from the best of their own field or vineyard.”

For the Israelites wandering in the desert with no fences or corrals this restitution rule is for the future. In some ways these regulations must have been an encouragement for them. They would be landowners and would settle in the land that God has promised – someday. Up until this point, the only herds they had watched over belonged to one person, Pharaoh.

Principle: Damage and loss due to carelessness and neglect in business requires restitution.

Innocent people who suffer loss deserve to be compensated, fairly and promptly. Too bad that in failing to do that we have created the need for “predatory lawsuits” and a host of greedy lawyers. In the big win over tobacco settlement the true “big winners” were lawyers. Now the automobile industry may be sued for producing Sport Utility Vehicles which are too large and cause environmental damage. Gun manufacturers may have to pay police, ambulance services for victims of handgun crimes. The trial lawyers argue that the gun manufacturers, not the criminals, are responsible for gun violence.

Discussion:

1. In your opinion, what regulatory agencies these days have run amuck?

2. Have you ever been the victim of carelessness in a product or service that has caused you loss that has been unrecoverable?

3. What would have corrected that situation for you?