For today, One Year Bible Online links here.

    There is not much to be said about this proverb. Getting rich by oppressing the poor will end badly. The poor do not have much, so in order to get wealthy you need to oppress large numbers of them. At some point, they will realize that they outnumber their oppressors. On the other hand, the rich have a lot. attempting to gain wealth because you have gained their favor through gifts is a losing game. Each time you give them gifts to gain their favor, you will have to give more than the last time. Eventually, you will need to give more in gifts than you can gain from the favor thus curried.

    Clap your hands, shout for joy as you praise the Lord. Let us be loud and exuberant in our praise. Let no one doubt who we worship and what we believe. All the earth is the Lord’s and He will bring every nation under His rule. We are not called to go about our business quietly with no one knowing Who we worship. Let us praise the Lord so all the world will know what great things He has done.

    Paul warns us against partnering with unbelievers. When I was growing up this passage was often presented as an argument against a Christian dating, let alone marrying, a non-believer. While this passage certainly does teach against that, that is not the main thrust of what Paul is saying. Paul is telling us not to make “common cause” with unbelievers in striving to accomplish our goals. All of our goals are subservient to spreading the gospel and serving God. Whatever goal we are seeking, we are seeking because it serves one or both of those purposes. Since non-believers are not seeking to further either of those goals, any place where they share a common goal with us will diverge from what we hope to accomplish. This does not mean that we are to fight them on issues where we agree, merely that we should not partner with them in attempting to achieve those goals.

    People are often motivated to work hard out of envy of others. Sometimes the desire to have more than others leads people to oppress those around them. If you strive alone for material possessions for your own pleasure you will soon realize that it is meaningless and depressing. You are better off partnering with someone and working together with them. One person alone can be easily overwhelmed, but two people can help each other up and keep each other warm against the cold. Two standing together can withstand great hardship. Three are even stronger.
    When you come before God to worship, focus more on listening for His guidance than on requesting His aid. If we fear God and listen to His instructions, we will be less likely to have needs to bring before Him in prayer.
    When low-level officials are corrupt, do not be surprised to discover that such corruption goes to the highest levels of government. Every one with authority will use that power to serve their own interests. Unless higher officials hold low level officials accountable and low level officials hold high level officials to high standards corruption will run rampant. Those who love and seek wealth never have enough. They will seek and strive for more, losing it all in the end because we can take none of it with us when we leave this earth. Nothing we can do or say will have any meaning unless we do it to bring glory to God.