I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.
I am not sure of my understanding of today’s passage. I may be misreading what is intended. However, it appears to me that the young woman is portrayed as playing hard to get. When she does this, the young man turns away. She realizes her mistake and pursues him. This gets her into trouble. She asks her friends to tell her lover that she wants him back. They both express their continued love for one another. The young woman wishes that she did not have to be mindful of the rules of propriety. Once more the young woman tells other women to wait until the time is right to allow sexual elements into a relationship. Finally, we have a young woman’s brothers vowing to what is in their power to protect their sister from being used by other men.
Paul tells the Corinthians that he does not really think he needed to write to remind them to give to this ministry, since it was their idea in the first place. As a matter of fact, it was Paul telling them about the Corinthian’s enthusiasm for giving to this ministry that inspired the Macedonian believers to give. However, Paul wanted to make sure that the Corinthians were aware that he had been telling others about what they were doing so that they were prepared when these others came to Corinth.
Paul continues by telling them that any gift they give should be just that, a gift. They should only give that which they are willing to give and should not give anything out of a feeling of compulsion. Each individual should decide for themselves how much to give. They should only give that which they can give without reluctance and no one should make anyone feel compelled to give. If we share freely with those in need out of our surplus, God will see to it that we always have sufficient surplus to give to those in need. Paul tells us that two good things result when we give from our surplus to those in need. The first is that those in need have their needs met, but just as importantly, others will praise God because of our generosity.
This passage points out that we should give to help those in need out of recognition of the fact that all that we have is a gift from God. It is ours to do with as we will, but God gave it to us so that we can bring glory to His name. In addition, Paul’s teaching here reminds us of Jesus’ parable of the talents. There Jesus told that each of us has been given resources from God that we are to put to use for God’s gain. Those who make the best use of those resources will be given more. This is true of those who serve God with their resources and those who do not. The main difference being that those who serve God with their resources have a different idea about what is best…and about what is more. Mother Theresa (there are probably better examples than Mother Theresa, but since they were so successful, no one has ever heard of them) would have said that she had more than Bill Gates.
There is another point I want to make about this passage. From time to time, someone will argue that Christians should favor government programs that help the poor, based on various passages which tell us that we are to help the poor. However, this passage makes it clear that each individual is to decide for themselves how much they are called to give to the poor and that no one is to feel compelled to give any more than that amount. There are many arguments against government aid for the poor, but I am only going to make one here. Government aid for the poor is never voluntary. It always requires a certain amount from each person according to what someone else believes is that person’s surplus, not according to what that person believes is their surplus. That runs directly contrary to what Paul is teaching here. I am not being charitable when I spend your money to help the poor (although I may be being charitable by spending my time doing so).
I love this psalm. It contains so many points of the Gospel message.
- I am a sinner. I have sinned time and again.
- Only God can cleanse me from my sin. There is nothing I can do myself to make my sins right. It is only by accepting God’s cleansing that my sin can be forgiven.
- It is only by recognizing that without God I am broken that I can be healed.
- Any true joy that I will experience is a gift from God.
- Once God has cleansed me and healed me, I have an obligation to teach others about His grace. This is not to show them how much better than them I am (because I’m not), but to show them how they too can be cleansed and healed.
- There is nothing I can give God that He needs, what He wants from me is for me to recognize how much I need His grace.
The only way that I can please God is by surrendering control over my life unto Him. I have failed God repeatedly. I ask Him to fill me with His Spirit and take control of my life so that I may serve His will. I strive time and again to give God control. I ask that He take that control and use me to bring glory to His name.
It is dangerous to hang out with those who do not control their temper because we may learn to behave in the same way.