For today, One Year Bible Online links here.

Proverbs 21:23-24

    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.

Psalm 37:1-11

    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.

1 Corinthians 12:27-13:13

    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.

Esther 8-10

    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 By Persian law, this edict could not be repealed.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.

For today, One Year Bible Online links here.

Proverbs 21:23-24

    If you want to avoid trouble, be careful what you say and think before you speak. The difference between self-confidence and arrogance comes down to respecting others. If someone does not respect others people notice and will fail to respect that person.

Psalm 37:1-11

    The wicked may seem to prosper, but it will only be for a short time. If we trust in the Lord and do His will (which is to do good), He will bless us and give us safety. If we allow Him to guide us, our actions will shine forth for all to see. I will let go of my anger and resist the urge to fight those who do wrong. I will do what is right, calm in the knowledge that God will bring just recompense to those who do evil. If we humbly wait for God to deal with the wicked He will give us peace and happiness.

1 Corinthians 12:27-13:13

    Paul reiterates the fact that we are not all given the same gifts. God has given different people different gifts because His plan calls for all of those different gifts. One person could not adequately fulfill all of the purposes for which the diverse gifts exist. However, the important thing to remember is that no matter what spiritual gifts we are given, we are to use them in love. Without love, none of the spiritual gifts are worth anything. If we exercise even the most glorious spiritual gift we can imagine without love we will be unable to accomplish anything of value. On the other hand, if we love those around us, and act on that love, the results will be wonderful, even if we have no other spiritual gift (of course, while we may think that we have no spiritual gift, God will bless us with many such gifts if we are expressing His love).
    If you want to be sure that you are acting in love, read verses 4 to 7 and meditate on what it says…Go ahead, I’ll wait…We will not fully understand how the things in this world bring about God’s will until God replaces our mortal bodies with immortal ones, but we can love and act with love even so. Our limited minds can only comprehend a small part of God’s infinite being and love. All of the spiritual gifts will come to an end. Only three things endure for eternity: faith, hope, and love. Of these, love is the most important.

Esther 8-10:3

    Haman had plotted to destroy the Jews because his sense of self-worth was challenged by Mordecai’s refusal to worship him in the place of God. However, others joined in his plot because they saw the opportunity to profit by persecuting one group and seizing their assets. Such plots occur throughout history, some leader rises up and stirs up the crowd against a particular minority (frequently the Jews, but sometimes others) in order for the connected to seize the property controlled by that minority. However, such a strategy always results in destruction for those who employ it. There are two possible results. Either the general population rejects such a strategy and pushes back against it, bringing destruction to those who employ it, as happened here. Or the strategy is carried out on one group after another until those who initiated the strategy are striking out against each other.

     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.

Esther 8-10:3

     King Xerxes took Haman’s property and gave it to Queen Esther. In addition, he appointed Mordecai to the office that had been held by Haman. Then Esther approached the king in order to request that the plot to slaughter the Jews throughout the Empire be stopped. The king told Esther and Mordecai to send out an edict in his name to do just that, but to remember that any previous edict sealed with his seal cannot be revoked. Mordecai composed an edict authorizing the Jews in every city to band together to defend themselves and to attack their enemies on the same day that the the edict Haman had sent out was to take effect. When Mordecai’s edict was received in the cities of the Empire, the Jews rejoiced and many people converted to Judaism. When the day that the two edicts were to take effect, the officials of the Empire sided with the Jews because they were afraid of Mordecai, who was now the most powerful man in the Empire, after the king. After this had all transpired, Mordecai sent out a letter to all of the Jews in the Empire proposing that they celebrate an annual festival to commemorate this event. The Jews agreed to institute this celebration and celebrate their gaining relief from their enemies.

1 Corinthians 12:27-13:13

     Paul continues his discussion of spiritual gifts by pointing out the different roles that different people have in the Church. He points out that some are called to be apostles, some are called to be prophets, some to be teachers, others to perform miracles, still others to heal the sick, and yet others to speak in other languages, but only some of us are called to do any one of these things. We are not all called to do all of these things. He then tells us that we should desire and request of God the greater gifts.
     Having just told us that we should desire and seek the greater gifts, Paul says that he will tell us the best way. He tells us that no matter how wonderful, and powerful the spiritual gifts which we demonstrate, if we do not have love, they are worthless. Paul then describes the characteristics of love. It is such a concise and comprehensive summation of love that I will just quote it here from the NIV:

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

     Paul then continues by telling us that all of the spiritual gifts will cease at some point, that the time will come when there will be no more prophecies, there will be no more talking in various languages, when the knowledge we have now will not count as knowledge. It is like we are looking through fogged glass, we can sort of make out what is on the other side of the glass. But the day is coming when we will not be looking through fogged glass, then we will see God’s glory clearly and will not need the understanding we got by looking through the glass.
     Paul concludes this section by telling us that three things are eternal: faith, hope, and love. The greatest of those three is love.

***
     The 13th chapter of First Corinthians is often used in weddings and in sermons about marriage. There is nothing inherently wrong with that, marriage is something which needs love in order to prosper. However, as a result we often miss two things about this passage. The first is that Paul is not talking about the love tied to our sexuality that is part of marriage (although the love that Paul is talking about is also part of a successful marriage). The second is that all of our actions are to be informed by love.
     I was going to talk further about how people misunderstand this passage, but that is not where I feel led to go. Rather, I want to point out that this chapter on love was written by the same man, in the same letter, as the passage about women covering their heads when they pray and prophesy. This was written by the same man who a few chapters earlier said that those who live their lives in sexual immorality and other sins will not inherit the kingdom of God. What does that tell us about confronting people over their sins? It tells us that if we love someone we will not gloss over the ways in which they are damaging themselves by not following God’s instructions for living. IF we love someone we will try to get them to do things that will lead to true happiness. The only path to true happiness is through following God’s commands.

Psalm 37:1-11

     Today’s psalm gives us great advice that is hard to follow. It tells us not to worry about the wicked, nor to be envious of those who do wrong. In the long run everything they attempt will come to nothing. Do not get angry over the acts of the wicked. Letting your anger over evil control you will only lead to harm. The wicked will disappear and those who have trusted the Lord will possess all that the wicked thought was theirs.
     This is another one of those psalms that needs to be read. It goes so well with 1 Corinthians 13. The psalmist tells us to commit everything we do to the Lord. Paul told us to do everything in love. If we follow those two principles, we cannot go wrong. I will strive to commit everything I do to the Lord and to do it all in love.

Proverbs 21:23-24

     And today’s proverb tells us something I can do that will go a long way towards fulfilling what I just said I would strive to do. If I learn to watch what I say and keep my mouth shut until I can say only that which is loving, I will have accomplished most of what I am striving to do. If I remember not to be proud and haughty, mocking those with whom I disagree, I will be even further.