For today, One Year Bible Online links here.

    If you truly fear the Lord you will live a godly life. Striving to lead a godly life causes one to avoid behaviors which shorten your life and to engage in behaviors which extend it. The wicked do the opposite. I feel like when I write these things about the proverbs that what I am writing is just restating what the writer said. Then I realize that in the past I had read these as “magical” formulas. If you did as God desired, He would magically extend your life and if you were wicked He would magically shorten your life. The proverb writer is not writing about anything magical, or even miraculous. It is just the way the world works.

    We need not fear when enemies surround us. They may trust in their wealth, but I will trust in God. No matter how wealthy someone is, they will die. Their wealth will not buy them an escape from the grave. Our only hope to escape from the grave is God. He is capable, and willing, to ransom from the grave those who please Him. Those with great wealth may build monuments to their name, but in time even those will fade away.
    There is no reason to be dismayed when the wicked grow wealthy. Their time will come. Sooner or later they will die. They will take none of their wealth with them.

    I don’t think I ever noticed the connection between Jesus warning against the religious leaders’ actions and the widow’s donations before. Jesus warned His disciples to be wary of the religious leaders because they did things for show, to appear righteous, but out of the public eye they were willing to cheat those who could not fight back (in particular, widows). Then Jesus used one of those whom the religious leaders would cheat as an example of generous giving.
    Jesus tells us that we should be wary of those who put on a show of their righteousness and generosity. They are likely doing so to cover up their corruption and deceit. On the other hand He commends those who have little, but are willing to give what little they have in order to further God’s Kingdom. Is what we give to the Lord’s work out of our surplus? Or, are we willing to tighten our belts to further the Lord’s work and/or help others? There is nothing wrong in giving out of our surplus, but those we should commend and look up to are those who sacrifice in order to do God’s work.

    The vow of the Nazirite is described in today’s passage. I am somewhat surprised that more attention is not paid to this vow. What is described here is not actually a specific vow. Rather it is a type of vow. Those who take this vow have determined to make some specific dedication to God. The passage does not say what type of thing would inspire someone to take a Nazirite vow. However, the accounts we have of people who lived by such vows suggest that it was likely some kind of act in service of God. For example, John the Baptist lived his whole life under like someone who had taken a Nazirite vow. When Paul was arrested in Jerusalem he was accompanying two men who had completed such a vow. Those who take such vows are making a very public statement that they are willing to sacrifice in order to serve God.