As we near the end of the year catalogs have started appearing in the mail. One that arrived today is filled with ridiculously expensive items. One of which is a manual typewriter for 200 dollars. While I have not recently been to our Salvation Army store in town I am going to guess one could most likely find a manual typewriter for ten dollars or maybe less. The description in the catalog makes it sound as if one just laid their fingers on the keys Pulitzer Prize winning prose would flow all over the paper. This is akin to giving someone a brush and a set of oil paints and coming back the next day to collect a comparable Monet. Or how about giving one a gift certificate for the tool section of Sears and expecting a new home?
Giving someone a Bible is not going to make them a saint. Actually even reading the Bible will not make someone a saint. Satan has it memorized. I don’t think it has done much for His character.
Having the tools and/or talent doesn’t produce quality. Quality comes from serious application of mind and talent. Paul told Timothy, “Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” I once heard a commencement speaker use this text to mean study itself would result in God’s approval. I don’t think that is what Paul meant. I don’t think he meant study biology, study philosophy, study German. The topic of study was “How can I be a good discerner of God’s message.” It will not be the result of random verse hunting. It comes with careful, prayerful application to context (never forget context) and asking for the presence of the Holy Spirit.
Written by Roger Bothwell on October 16, 2013
Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574
Rogerbothwell.org