For today, One Year Bible Online links here.

    Wisdom is more valuable than any treasure you can obtain, silver, gold, or jewels. Nothing on the face of this earth which you may desire is of more value than wisdom. Make gaining wisdom a higher priority than gaining anything else. There will be time enough for other things after you acquire wisdom, and even if there isn’t, you will be better off with wisdom than with those other things.

    I read this psalm and it seems as if the psalmist is living today. It is a reminder that the Bible applies to us today as much as it did when it was written.

    It is tempting to take Jesus’ instructions to the Twelve when He sent them out as THE model for evangelism. This would be a mistake, because Jesus gives different instructions for evangelism elsewhere. However, it is A model for evangelism. There are times and places where this is how we are called to preach the Gospel. There are however some things in Jesus’ instructions here which do apply to us in every circumstance.
    Jesus tells us that we are going out as sheep among wolves. Therefore we need to not be naive. We need to be aware that people are going to attempt to take advantage of us
and we should not let them do so. However, we can allow them to think that they are taking advantage of us. We should be aware of the ways in which people are attempting to manipulate us and not allow them to do so. However, there is we do not need to reveal that we know they are attempting to manipulate us until they try to get us to do something that does not fit in with our mission.
    Jesus goes on to tell us that we will be arrested and face persecution. We will be brought before judges and rulers. This will give us an opportunity to preach the Gospel to some who would not otherwise listen. When we are in that circumstance we should not worry about what we are going to say because the Holy Spirit will guide our words. I do not think Jesus is telling us not to plan out what to say when we know in advance that we are going to speak in front of a hostile audience. Rather, He is telling us not to worry about what to say when we are put on the spot. I know that on several occasions I have been in a circumstance where to this day the only explanation I have for the words I spoke was the Spirit of God (quoting verses I have never memorized, saying things I had not realized I believed, etc).

    When Jacob decided, with God’s guidance, that it was time to leave Laban and return to Canaan, he did not claim that his wealth was the result of his hard work. Rather he credited God with being responsible for his success. Yes, Jacob claimed to have worked hard, but he acknowledged that all of his hard work would have been for naught if God had not aided him. Do we have a similar attitude? Are we willing to work hard in the knowledge that any success we have will nevertheless only come as a gift from God?

     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. In order to make that possible I read the passages and write my thoughts a day, or more. in advance. My work schedule has recently changed, meaning that I may not have time every day to complete these. As a result, I am trying to get several days ahead. I hope this does not negatively impact the quality of these posts (if that is possible). If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.

     When Jacob’s eleventh son, Joseph, is born, Jacob negotiates with Laban for wages once more (he received Leah and Rachel as his wives from his initial negotiations). Jacob and Laban agree that all of the speckled and spotted goats, and all of the black sheep in the herds which Jacob tends for Laban will be Jacob’s going forward. However, Laban knows something about genetics, so, before the agreement starts, he removes all of the goats and sheep which have the characteristics which would mark them as Jacob’s from the flocks which Jacob tends. Jacob, however, took actions which increased the likelihood that the strongest lambs and kids born to the remaining sheep and goats under his care would express the characteristics which made them his. He was successful in doing this to such a degree that Laban’s sons were jealous of his success.
     God blessed Jacob despite Laban’s attempt to cheat him. Modern knowledge of genetics suggests that Jacob’s tricks to get more spotted and speckled goats and black sheep would have had no impact on the numbers of such offspring, nevertheless, Jacob’s flocks increased. The message I take from this passage is that God will look out for our interests, even if those around us attempt to cheat us.

     Jesus sent out the twelve apostles, the Greek term here means something along the lines of “sent ones”, to minister to the people of Israel. He gave them authority to cast out evil spirits and to heal physical problems. They were empowered to address the mental and physical problems of those they encountered. Jesus sent them out into the world to bring healing to the sick, to raise the dead, to cast out evil spirits, and to preach that the Kingdom of Heaven is near.
     This passage applies to us today in one way or another. Just as we have freely received from God the means to meet our needs, so we are to freely give to those in need, whether that need is physical, mental, or spiritual. Part of me says that not all of us are apostles, those sent by God. That some of us are called to be those in whose homes the apostles stay. And this is true. Yet part of me says that we are all sent out by Jesus to be His ambassadors, His messengers, His apostles. And this is also true. There are times when we are to accept hospitality as we deliver God’s message to those around us. And there are times when we are to provide hospitality to those who are bringing God’s message.
     There is a part of this passage that I am convinced wholly applies to all of us. When Jesus says that He is sending them out as sheep among wolves, He is talking to all of us. As He sends us forth into the world, He wants us to be innocent, but not naive. There is another very important message for us in this passage. Jesus tells us that we will be persecuted for our faith. He follows that up by telling us that when we are brought before the authorities, we should not worry about what we will say, the Spirit will speak through us, giving us the words to convey God’s message for that situation. I believe that this statement applies not just to when we are arrested, but also to any time when we are forced to make a statement. On the other hand, this instruction from Jesus is not meant to apply to those occasions when we choose to make a statement. In the latter case, we should very carefully select our words and plan what we will say, while allowing the Holy Spirit to guide us.

     We may live in a society that honors the wicked and rewards those who lie, but the psalmist reminds us that God will protect the oppressed and rise up to save the helpless. The wicked may think that none are able to stop them, but God will bring judgment upon them in the fullness of time. I will not be deceived into thinking that lies, deceit, and violence are the path to an easy life.

     Some people expend their energy searching for gold, silver, precious gems, or other physical treasures. I will spend my energy seeking wisdom because it is more valuable than all of those combined. Wisdom will return benefits far beyond those of any material wealth.