7 November 2010
Psalm 93. 96; Ecclus 51.13-22; 1 Cor 14.1-12; Matt 20.1-16

The writer shows that he already possessed a degree of wisdom before he ever sought wisdom. He proves it by knowing where to seek it, in prayer and before the temple. Solomon was rewarded by the Lord for seeking wisdom as the one thing he wanted from God to be a good king. This writer sought wisdom in the only place it may be truly found, in the Lord, the source of all things, the creator of all that is and therefore the only one who truly understands not only how things work but why they do so and for what purpose they were created. Even greater wisdom is in the last verse. What do I do with the wisdom I have received? I use my tongue to praise the one who gave me wisdom.

When you came to the Lord and received salvation and eternal life, was it bundled with a lot of other things? Does Jesus promise eternal life and material prosperity? How did we get that idea? It seems as though it doesn’t take us long in our journey to start looking around and come to the conclusion that other people seem to have gotten things in their bargain that we didn’t get and now we are a bit less happy with our deal. What once brought us joy now feels like we got the short end of the stick, we should have held out for more. Are you happy with Jesus and His offer of life or are you like the first laborers in the parable?

Apparently the gift of tongues has always been a bit problematic for the church. There has always been a tendency to either exalt the gift as the most exotic and somehow the most intimate of the gifts or to deny its existence. Paul tries to walk the balance between the extremes by asking the question of purpose. Why are we seeking the gifts at all? The best reason he can give for seeking particular gifts from the Lord is to focus on the purpose of the gift and says that those which build up the body are the ones that are truly most important. He does not diminish the value of tongues but says to seek those things that edify the whole rather than the individual. The greater good is always in mind.

Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples,
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength!
Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
bring an offering, and come into his courts!
Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness;
tremble before him, all the earth!