When Do You Put Your Bible Down?

When do you ever put your Bible down?

I suppose your answer depends on how you interpret the question.

A friend of mine once asked why some Christians were always studying their Bible. “How many more Bible studies do we need?” His point was that at some point a person needs to put the Bible down and actively do what it teaches. That might not be the way I would say it, but I could not argue. In fact, Scripture teaches this principle:

For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does. —James 1:23–25 (NASB95)

Isn’t is clear? The one who actually does what he has found in God’s word “will be blessed in what he does.”

Jesus made the same point using the ‘wise man and foolish man’ illustration at the end of the Sermon on the Mount. (You can read it in Matthew 7:24-27)

These teachings seem to imply that a person can actually over do it on the ‘Bible study’ and forget to follow the teaching.

So, while my friend made a good observation that IS taught in scripture, one must also be careful not to go to the opposite extreme; that is, the extreme of forgetting to open the Bible.

There are two essential teachings in scripture:

• Love God with everything you’ve got; and
• Love others as you love yourself.

Jesus said as much on one occasion when a man asked Him what to do to inherit eternal life. Jesus asked him what he had read in Scripture and the man answered with the ’two great commands.’ Then Jesus responded: "You have answered correctly; do this and you will live." —Luke 10:27

Here’s the tricky part: What does ‘love God’ and ‘love others’ actually look like in practice? What does love look like when life serves me pain and sadness and calamity? How do I love others when times are good? How do I love other when times are bad? How do I love those who are mostly unlovable, or those who hurt me or my family?

How do I keep loving God when the religion I grew up with becomes stale? How does love work when I am unloved and all alone???

To answer these ‘life’ questions...to really answer these questions…(you already know where this is going)...pick up your Bible.

The Bible is filled with real-life examples of people who got it right and who also blew it. We can learn what ‘to do’ and what ‘not to do.’ It also contains practical teachings for day-to-day living. It instructs us in purity and holiness, and in love of God and fellow man.

So, I need to put my Bible down at least once a day...as long as I recognize that I can only put it down if I have already picked it up!

YES! Put your Bible down...at least once a day.

Just never forget to pick it up...at least once a day.

Something You Should Know about Your Appetite

Have you ever been to a restaurant, then, after eating, exited and smelled the delicious offerings of a neighboring restaurant? As good as it smells, you had absolutely no desire to go there to eat. There was no temptation, even if it was your favorite. You had already eaten; you were full.

On the other extreme, have you ever had a long day of physical labor, or perhaps missed a meal or two. You were 'caving in' with hunger; starving. You were ready to eat the first edible thing you could find and it was SOOOO tasty.

These two thoughts set the stage for a wonderful nugget of wisdom:

   A sated man loathes honey, 
   But to a famished man any bitter thing is sweet.
   --Proverbs 27:7

The word ‘sated’ means full or satisfied.
The word ‘loathed’ is translated from a Hebrew words that literally means, to tread down or trample.

Do you see the picture being presented in this proverb?
A person tramples over sweet honey with no interest. Why? He is full. Even though honey is delightful to the taste and nourishing to the body it is perceived as ordinary and undesirable. In great contrast, the starving man eats something bitter and perceives it to be sweet.

What is the value of this proverb?
Mere observation?

Consider...
The satisfied man tramples the honey as undesirable, yet, what is the reality?
The famished man will eat bitter things as if sweet, yet what is the reality?

Circumstances do not change the reality of the sweet honey or the reality of the bitter thing. So, we could at least conclude that taste buds are not accurate in determining the true value of something.

Now, let’s extend this example. What about other areas of life that are subject to taste?

We have ‘likes and dislikes’ in many areas: clothing, cars, houses, decorations, personality types, physical beauty, recreation, entertainment, and so on. We must understand that our ‘tastes’ are not accurate in determining the real value of things. 'Modern' does not make it a good house. 'Cute' does not make him a good boyfriend. 'Red' does not make it a good car. 'Stunning' does not make it appropriate clothing. 'Funny' does not make it a good sitcom or a good joke to repeat.

God’s divine instruction gives us insight into that which is truly good and valuable in life.

• If we are saturated with the things of this life, we just might regard the truth of God's instruction as ordinary and pass it off as unimportant.
• If we are so famished with regard to spiritual things, we are likely to accept the next teaching that comes along, whether it is from the mind of man or the mind of God. It will seem sweet and acceptable.

We need a steady diet of God's word so that we will be able to discern what is good and what is useless.

Be wise.
Be filled with God’s instruction.

Who Stands Against Injustice?

   Do not move the ancient boundary, 
   Or go into the fields of the fatherless.
   --Proverbs 23:10

At first glance you might think, “What does this have to do with anything?" Or, "What does this have to do with me?” For most of us boundaries and fields are not a major concern.

The next verse provides illumination:
   For their Redeemer is strong;
   He will plead their case against you.
   --Proverbs 23:11

The simple teaching is that God, “their Redeemer,” is watching. He is concerned about the weak and those who are victims of misfortune.

God expects his people to act with kindness and generosity toward others. He expects fairness, that is, justice. He expects his people to stand up for the weak and to help the poor. God expects his people to be like him.

'Moving an ancient boundary' meant that  a person moved the property line on someone else's land. 'Going into the field' means that a person used or harvested a field for their benefit. In this case, it was a field that did not belong to them. In both cases the proverb describes actions in which a person was taking advantage of someone who was weak in some way.

On the playground we call that person a ‘bully.’ Of course, the bully is not only found on the playground. He preys on the weak, the elderly, the sick, the uneducated, and the underprivileged. He steal money and personal possessions and property by deceit, manipulation, and/or brute strength. He might disguise himself as a good businessman or politician. He might take advantage of people by cleverly manipulating company policy or civil/social law. He behaves unjustly because he can get away with it.

God assures us that he is watching and that he will take up the case of injustice against the weak. He will speak when there is no one to speak. He will act when there is no one to act. He will demand justice, and do not think his justice will be kind.

How Great is our God!
Great in mercy.
Great in forgiveness.
Great in awesome power.

Great in JUSTICE!

If we are to be like God,
   ...we will be concerned (mind and heart) about the weak and the poor;
   ...we will be watching (eyes and ears) to make sure people are treated fairly;
   ...we will stand up (feet and hands) for the weak and poor where there are abuses.