152 Safe Cities (Num 35)

The other day I was boasting about my dexterous abilities brought about by fishing exploits.
It may have been a bit much too soon.
I seem to neglected another trait I have picked up from buddy Michael.
He is so focused on fishing that he tends to fall down a lot.
Very a lot.
He is so intent on the water he just doesn't see rocks, holes, stumps, branches, other rocks.........
Actually if it wasn't for his amazing recovery skills, he would fall more.
It's pretty funny to see.
He's a big lad, so he falls big.
I do too.
But not for those reasons.
I just tend to be a tad "un-co".

Anyway my trait.
I park my car and walk a few blocks to work.
I put my bag on my shoulder.
Plug my earphones in, and away I walk.
Now when I get to work, if I want to keep listening to the music or podcast I take my bag off and keep listening.
Which does mean a little organising prior to getting to work.
If I have my bag on over the earphone lead, it's easy to just take off.
But if the headphone lead is over the bag strap, then I can't just take the bag off without untangling my way through straps, leads, sunglasses and anything else.
Sounds hard.
So here I was walking to work, bag balanced on one shoulder, iPod playing and concentrating on untangling the earphone lead (which I can do) and banged straight into a parking sign.
Fine.
No one saw me.
No embarrassment.
Almost.
Except there was a guy walking his dog coming the other way.
He smiled.
We said "g'day".
I had earphones in by this stage but I swear as we passed I heard a sniggering.
Maybe the dog had gas or something.
My focus can sometimes cause pain.
Or lack of focus.

Numbers 35
When we do something wrong there is a price.
Whether we intentionally do wrong or not.
There is a price.
The price can be large.
It can be small.
There is a price.
It can be paid immediately or later.
There is a price.
Sometimes the longer the delay, the more the price increases.
The greater the number of ways it is extracted.
Yet it will always be paid.

Coming into Canaan, if you killed someone on purpose, in anger or by laying in wait, you could expect to be put to death by a relative of the deceased.
The people were coming into their own land now.
They were going to settle.
Stability was needed.
Structure and very, very clear boundaries are going to be needed.
There is a recognition though, that stuff happens.
Accidents occur.
Consequences still follow.
Restitution is still required.
Enter the cities of refuge.
Living in a strange town, away from family and never able to leave is a hefty price.
Living, I guess is the key here.
Not ideal, but not dead.
For a mistake or error you would live with forever anyway.
A place to live, run by Levites.
A place of good law and knowledge of God.
A hope of redemption.
Just don't leave.