For today, One Year Bible Online links here.
The wrong word at the wrong time is almost always the source of trouble. If you are able to control your words, you will be able to control the rest of your behaviors. The first step to controlling your words is to desire to do so.
This psalm reminds us that we should not spend out time worrying about what others do, not even those who do evil. Let us commit ourselves to the Lord in everything we do. He will judge the wicked in His time. Instead of worrying about the apparent success of the wicked and envying them, let us wait patiently for God to act. If we serve Him in all we do He will show us what to do and reward us for our faithfulness. We may never have the wealth that we see the wicked have, but we will never suffer the torment that comes from their wickedness.
Paul concludes his metaphor comparing how the different gifts make us different, but necessary, parts of the Body of Christ by describing what some of those parts are. He points out that we do not all have the same skills and that that is the way it should be. We should therefore seek the most helpful gifts. I realized two new things about what Paul was saying here (besides the understanding I have had for years). The first is that while some gifts help the Church, we only need a few people with them. On the other hand, there are other gifts of which there are never too many people who have them. The second realization I came to is that Paul was telling us that which gifts we should seek will vary from generation to generation as the situation the Church finds itself in changes.
Having told us to seek the most helpful gifts, Paul tells us that he will now show us the best way to live our lives. Then he writes about love. All other spiritual gifts only have value in as much as they are guided by love. No matter what we do in this life, no matter the sacrifices we make, if we do not do those things out of love for others, we have done nothing of lasting value. Let us seek the gifts which can do the most to help those around us, recognizing that we will not, we can not, help those whom we do not love.
Haman had sent out an edict under the seal of King Xerxes saying that the Jews should be killed and that those who killed them could claim their property. By Persian law, this edict could not be repealed. However, King Xerxes allowed Mordechai to draft another edict designed to offset Haman’s edict. Mordecai’s edict allowed the Jews to unite and defend themselves. The results show that those who seek to profit by abusing and killing others will themselves be abused and killed.