OT -- 2 Samuel 23:24-24:25
Chapter 24 does not make sense unless you remember that it was against God's law to census the Children of Israel. There were 'token' censuses taken -- but always something other than a man was counted. They would bring a piece of silver, a sheaf of wheat, something other than just counting the man himself. David had Joab count the men.
It will also make more sense when we read of the split between Israel and Judah after Solomon's death. Israel became the 'evil one' with Judah more closely aligned with God.
2nd Samuel ends on this totally depressing and awful note.
NT -- Acts 3:1-26
Oh, oh, oh Peter! He is stirring up some trouble right now. About the only thing the Pharisees can say good about this whole sermonette is that at least the healing did not happen on a Sabbath. Peter accuses them of killing Jesus and ignoring the prophets. He is going to be in big, big trouble...
Proverbs 16:21-23
Look at these three proverbs as a set. The wise are: discerning, promoting instruction, have long life, guide their mouths.
Discerning means to be able to tell good from bad. It is one of the key attributes of wisdom. Without it, you definitely are not wise. The promoting instruction is a new one from these sets. If you are wise, you naturally want to teach? Maybe to protect and instruct those you love. But there is a fine line from instruction to blatant meddling and in the immortal words of Ann Landers : MYOB may be the better part of valor more times than it isn't.
Many take the long life as a reward for being wise but I am not sure that is what this says. I think you have a hard time being wise IF YOU HAVEN'T had a long life. I have learned more in the last 3 years about life and living than I think I did in the previous 45. I know there is still so much more to learn and do. And how very precious life is. These are things that I did not know at 20 when I THOUGHT I was so very, very smart.
And the final one in our wisdom set -- guiding the mouth. Well, that is always a problem for me so FAIL on that one. But I will say, the wisest people I know LISTEN a whole lot more than they TALK.
Prayers for each of you as you grow and stretch.
I have so many names I call my children and I guess how I refer to them is the mood I am in or what I am trying to get them to do. I might call AJ "buddy" one minute and "brother" another. There are so many names for Jesus and I love here in Acts where Peter calls him the "author of life". It says he is and was from the beginning and everything is as he scripted it. It also shows that Peter really grasped the depth and meaning of who Jesus was finally. It is a beautiful way to refer to our Savior.
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