I remember giving away Bibles during an outreach event in 2018. Many people either weren't interested in a free Bible because they have a bunch at home, or they wanted a Bible with larger type or a particular English translation. People were pretty fussy about it.
As a result people rejected the free Bibles, or took it without much thought. I suppose I should have been happy just to get the Word of God out to the public, but it got me thinking. Americans seem to take the Bible for granted. Perhaps they feel free Bibles should be a given.
I suppose many tend to treat God as someone who needs their approval. And because of this people treat churches the same way. In their minds, since churches need public approval, donations, and attendance, churches have to recruit people to join them. So they can shop for what they want in a church as consumers looking to be served. And churches that serve them well will be highly valued. But what really happens is that people really don't value them.
So, if I suggest that we can read the Bible better, it seems like people are either not very interested, or feel like they read it well already. Most people seem to be satisfied with getting out of it what they put into it — which is really very little. Maybe because we are conditioned to being served and solving our own problems we don't need any help reading the Bible. Perhaps we believe God wants us to understand Him, so He has to make learning about Him easy. So all we have to do is read it and He will help us. If we lack or don't have the time to read, God will feed us using preachers, teachers, and denominations.
But what if we got this wrong.
Jesus says something disturbing in Matthew 13. When the disciples wondered why Jesus always used parables with the crowds, Jesus explains that he does it to make truth hard to understand. But for those who are his disciples he reveals truth.
I believe Jesus wants people to understand him. But he also wants the right people to understand him. And who are the right people? People who listen well because they desire to understand. Not everyone listens to understand. Not everyone values what Jesus has to say. Not everyone gets it, nor is trying to get it. And anyone who feels like they get it because they pay close attention to the red letters in some Bibles don't get it either. So, these people will get mystery.
In Proverbs 2:1-11 Solomon makes it clear that seeking the Word of God is like digging for hidden treasure. It's worth the effort. Those who value it like this will be blessed by it. However, not everyone sees it like this, and they will suffer for it.
In 2 Peter 1:16-21 Peter warns his listeners to not take the Scriptures lightly, because they are the very words of God. And there's good reason to believe that. It is the standard and correct way to see reality in a world that is mired in darkness.
We need to think carefully about how we listen or read. And consider how hungry we really are to know God and what He thinks. Because if we aren't hungry enough, or seeking it like treasure, we will never get it.
Photo by Joel Muniz on Unsplash
Nice
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