Leviticus 25:43
“You shall not rule over him with harshness, but shall fear your God.”
What does Leviticus 25:43 mean?
When someone is vulnerable because they owe you a debt or labor, you still have a choice about how to treat them. This command reflects something deeper than just following a rule: it's saying that how you exercise power over others matters to God. The warning "fear your God" reminds us that we answer to someone higher, and cruelty toward those under our authority will be seen and judged. In hard circumstances where one person has leverage over another, this verse calls us to dignity and restraint, recognizing that the person before us is not just a tool for your benefit but someone God cares about.