What I Wish the Bible Said
Next, God calls up the wicked: “What are you up to, quoting my laws, talking like we are good friends? You never answer the door when I call; you treat my words like garbage. If you find a thief, you make him your buddy; adulterers are your friends of choice. Your mouth drools filth; lying is a serious art form with you. – Psalm 50:16-19 (MSG)
You ever read scripture and think you know exactly what it’s talking about? I don’t mean recognizing the scripture’s historical context. I mean basking in the certainty that some scribe thousands of years ago could write so presciently about a specific thing today?
Informed by our biases and our hopes, we can’t help but see through our personal lens, reading ourselves and our world into the Word, searching for both affirmation and condemnation. The mistake is convincing ourselves that our subjective interpretation is the only correct or even originally intended interpretation, producing a remix of the classic Sunday school song: “Scripture says it, this I know, for I told the Bible so!” There’s a difference between ancient wisdom speaking timeless truths and retrofitting a modern lens to claim the writer had our time in mind.
Ours is a living faith, deepened when we read scripture both historically and devotionally, applying it to our lives today. Sacred texts help us make meaning of our world: informing, guiding, and inspiring us as we navigate life’s journey. Keeping aware of the ways our modern lens tints our understanding of the Word helps us avoid rabbit holes and risky paths.
Prayer
Divine Author: Steady us as we walk the tightrope between making scripture relevant and making it say what we want it to say. Amen.
About the AuthorChris Mereschuk (he/him) is an Unsettled Pastor and the Founder of RevCJM, LLC, specializing in church vitality and Legacy consulting and coaching.