For today, One Year Bible Online links here.
The first part of today’s proverbs are another way of saying what Jesus was saying when He said “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Those who pursue righteousness and love are seeking the Kingdom of God, whether they know it or not. If those who seek the Kingdom of God do not pursue righteousness and love they are on a hopeless quest.
Wisdom will overcome strength. This proverb is another way of stating a saying I have heard for many years, “Old age and treachery will beat youth and skill.” While the latter saying has similar meaning, it does not quite encompass the proverb. The point of the proverb is that in a contest between wisdom and strength, wisdom will always come out on top.
The wicked have no fear of the Lord. They are so arrogant and cocky that they completely overlook and dismiss their own sins, believing that they are basically good people. They often hold to this belief while planning evil and refusing to turn from sin.
However, God sets the standard for what is truly good. If we fail to meet that standard than we are not good people. God’s love is unfailing. Can I truly say that about myself? That my love is unfailing? God cares for both people and animals. This means that we too are to care for both people and animals. Just as God feeds us out of His abundance, let us provide for the needy out of the abundance He has given us.
There are many different spiritual gifts and they are all necessary for the Body of Christ to flourish. Each person has the spiritual gifts which God chose for them to have according to what God decided was necessary at that time and place. One person is not more important than another, no matter that one has a gift we consider important and another has one that we consider unimportant. Our judgement that the spiritual gift that one person has is more important than the spiritual gifts another person has is wrong. This does not mean that we are wrong to place some people in more prominent, visible positions than others. Just as some parts of the body are meant to be seen and noticed while other parts are hidden and protected, so people with some spiritual gifts are meant to be seen and noticed while those with other gifts work best when they are unseen and most are unaware of their presence. If your gift calls for you to be one of the latter, do not seek to draw attention to yourself. On the other hand, if your gift is one of the former, do not believe that it makes you better or more important than others. God knows exactly what gifts the Body needs and doles them out accordingly.
When Haman launched his pogrom against the Jews Mordecai made Esther aware of it. Mordecai asked her to go to the king and plead for her people. Esther was reluctant because approaching the king was risky. Mordecai told her that she had no choice, she could not avoid the danger by remaining silent. He suggested that perhaps she was in that very position in order to bring about the rescue of the Jews. There is a very important point here, we can never avoid the dangers of this world by keeping our heads down, hoping to avoid notice. We must use whatever position we find ourselves in to combat injustice. If we do not, sooner or later we will find that injustice directed at us.