Mon., 1/13/14 Devotion (Gen. 14:21)

Today's encouragement comes from Genesis 14:21, which says this:

"Now the king of Sodom said to Abram, 'Give me the persons [lit., souls], and take the goods for yourself.' "

The Puritans were fond of using this verse as an illustration of how the devil--knowing the value of human souls--operates. Satan is glad to have his human servants "prosper" in the things of this world, so long as he (the devil) gets what is of greatest worth: the soul.

Of course, God knows better than anyone the value of one human be-ing. One soul is of more worth than the entire non-human (or angelic) creation. Do we value our own souls, and that of other people; or do we despise their worth?

[Puritan quote of the day: "The hypocrite is a saint in jest. He makes a magnificent show, like an ape clothed in ermine or purple." --Thomas Watson, in, "The Doctrine of Repentance"]