Adult Bible Study March 9, 2008

Lesson Text: 1 Chronicles 17:1; 3-4; 6-15
By Ken Hawkley
E-mail: louise050@comcast.net

Covenant
It’s near the time for presidential elections in the United States. As usual, there seems the possibility of a spring election in Canada. All this means that promises and alliances are being made in the political fields.

A number of years ago in the United States, the Republican party touted its new “Contract for America,” which promised a new way of governing, new programs, and new looks at financial and policy processes. Cynics called it the “Contract ON America,” alluding to the use of the word contract in Mafia circles.

No one seems to covenant anymore. I think of covenants and contracts this way: A covenant is different from a contract. More of a handshake deal it is even more binding in that it’s an agreement between two or more people who have a relationship. A covenant assumes that honor and honesty are common characteristics of all. A covenant still has clauses to nullify the agreement, but the foundation of the covenant is the strength of the relationship. In a covenant, the human factor is more apparent, and there is wiggle room because it’s assumed that no one will take undo advantage of the circumstances and will do everything to live up to his or her side of the bargain.

A contract usually means something is legally binding. Law holds the contract together rather than relationships. Any connection between the parties is often consumer based. It is a mutually beneficial connection that will end when the contract is fulfilled or the contact ceases to be beneficial. A contract is not based on human relationships. Contracts tend to be cold and filled with legal language to make sure all bases are covered.

What difference does this make? Would we be a less litigious society if we covenanted more? Would we consider the human cost of our actions more? Would politicians and business executives, would you and I?