For today, One Year Bible Online links here.
If you tell the truth, you do not need to worry about explaining inconsistencies. If you tell lies, you need to be constantly remembering what you said and fitting it into the other things you talk about. When you plot evil you need to fill your mind with the lies and deceit necessary to carry out your plot. On the other hand, when you plan on how to obtain peace your mind can, and will, be filled with joy at all of the wonderful things you wish to do for others.
This psalm reminds us of the importance of telling the next generation about what God has done, both in our lives and in the lives of those who went before us. Let us tell those younger than ourselves what we know of God’s wondrous actions so that they may know of Him and choose to follow Him. Each generation must decide for itself to follow God, but we need to give them the information to make an informed decision.
Jesus tells the Pharisees and teachers of religious law that while there is nothing wrong with acting so as to appear righteous, it is not enough. It is not even the proper place to start. It is more important to give to the needs of the poor and support justice than it is to do things which make others think we are righteous. When we teach others about following God, we should strive to act in ways which make it easier for them to do so. Let us encourage those who are trying to follow God, rather than stressing the ways in which they are falling short.
Jesus then turned His attention to the crowds. He warns us not to imitate the hypocrisy of religious leaders, nor to allow it to discourage us from doing what is right. We should not let human opposition frighten us, since the most they can do is kill our bodies. Rather, we should fear God who can kill not only our bodies but can destroy our very souls. Then He tells us that despite the fact that we should fear God, we should also trust Him to care for us. We are more valuable to God than we can possibly imagine. God pays attention to the details of our life more closely than we are even capable of ourselves, to the point of numbering the hairs on our heads.
Today we are given a choice between life and death. If we love God with all of our hearts, minds, souls, and strength, and obey His commands, He will give us life and joy. If we reject His commands and worship things other than Him, we will be destroyed. God is not far from us, nor are His commands. They are not difficult to know and understand. We do not need someone specially trained to interpret them for us. We do not need to send someone up to heaven, nor to the ends of the earth to know God’s will. He lives with us and will speak in our hearts to show us the way. We need only seek His face and we will find Him.