Perspective

I read something today that has really got me thinking. It spoke to me and wanted to share it with you. When I first read it, it made me kind of angry, defensive. I had to go back and re-read it several times. Then I had to put the book down and think on this for a while. I had to consider the possibilities. I had to put it into perspective. The more I thought, the blurriness of these words began to come into focus. The more perspective I gained on these words, the more I began to understand why they made me a bit defensive. These words convicted me. What about you? Take a look at these words taken from Rob Bell’s book, Velvet Elvis…

“The Bible is not pieces of information about God and Jesus and whatever else we take and apply to situations as we would a cookbook or an instruction manual.

And while I am at it, let’s make a group decision to drop once and for all the Bible-as-owner’s-manual metaphor. It’s terrible. It really is.

When was the last time you read the owner’s manual for your toaster? Do you find it remotely inspiring or meaningful?

You only refer to it when something’s wrong with your toaster. You use it to fix the problem, and then you put it away.” (p. 62)

If you are like me, you have used the owner’s manual metaphor when referring to the Bible. Surely I am not the only one that has told someone that God’s word is like an owner’s manual…instructions for living. While it is true that there are instructions for living within the Bible, think about what he is saying for a moment. As you are contemplating these few words, take note of the very next sentence he writes (p. 63)…

“We have to embrace the Bible as the wild, uncensored, passionate account it is of people experiencing the living God.”

Oh man, I am going to be praying with all that I am that these words convict me. The Bible is alive. It is inspiring. It is meaningful. This story (the Bible) is my story. As I read, may I experience the living God. As you read, may you experience the living God.

Blessings…