Step nine: "Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others."

In these passages of Scripture, we have rather specific advice. Let us look first at the Old Testament, the book of Numbers. The bulk of the Law is given in Exodus and Leviticus, and then again in Deuteronomy.

This morning's passage is a law of restitution, a special case law, supplemental to Leviticus 6:1-7. It deals with restitution in the situation in which there is no kinsman, that is, no living relative. Sometimes, even back then, litigation could go on for decades and the original plaintiff might be dead, along with all of the plaintiff's family. The advice is: give it to the temple. It is just like church trustees today who urge folks to leave it to the church.

Ther…