Today I chose verse 3
To do righteousness and justice Is desired by the LORD more than sacrifice.
God actually said this (or something similar) on more than one occasion in scripture. He told Saul through Samuel "to obey is better than sacrifice." Read the story here if you aren't familiar with it
Here is what God said through the prophet Micah (chapter 6)
6 With what shall I come to the LORD And bow myself before the God on high? Shall I come to Him with burnt offerings, With yearling calves? 7 Does the LORD take delight in thousands of rams, In ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I present my firstborn for my rebellious acts, The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
8 He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?
You can see what I wrote about these verses here Blog post from January 2010 - Micah 6:8
Well, there you go. After seeing the two passages this verse reminds me of I've let scripture be it's own interpreter - which is always best anyway.
Other verses from Proverbs 21
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3 To do righteousness and justice is desired by the LORD more than sacrifice. (NASB)
3 Clean living before God and justice with our neighbors mean far more to God than religious performance.(The Message)
I think of giving "things" (sacrifices) to God as giving back what is already His. He wants to have us, our hearts, our attitudes, our actions.... It's so easy to give stuff, but to really turn over our will and desires to God, to seek what he wants and have that become what we want - that is what you do for someone you love and want to please. You do it because you love someone, not to gain their love. This is what God wants from us.
Verse 3 is borne out in other places in the Bible:
Psalm 51:16-17 - For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
Romans 12:1-2 - I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Much of Hebrews 10 also talks about sacrifices just reminding us of the sin we had....
It can be easy to put on the facade of religion or good works. But when it truly is a part of my life, something I do by nature, that is when I feel I am drawing closer to being the person God wants me (created me) to be.
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