Message Minute (Taking God at His Word)

“All Scripture is God-breathed…” - 2 Timothy 3:16

Mark Twain once said, "It's not the parts of the Bible that I don't understand that disturb me. It's the parts I do understand that disturb me." Twain wasn't even a believer, but he nailed something important about reading the Bible. The problem isn't usually that it's too confusing to understand - the problem is that it's often crystal clear about things we'd rather ignore.

Think about it this way: if you’re a teenager and your dad tells you to be home by 11 PM, you don't get to reinterpret that based on your feelings or what your generation thinks is reasonable. You understand exactly what he means. The same principle applies to reading the Bible. We interpret it based on what the author intended to communicate, not based on what feels comfortable to us or what our culture currently accepts.

About 90% of the Bible doesn't require heavy theological lifting to understand. "You shall not steal" - pretty clear. "Jesus died and rose again" - not ambiguous. "Love your neighbor as yourself" - straightforward. Yes, some parts are more challenging, but difficult doesn't mean impossible, and it definitely doesn't mean we get to ignore the clear parts.

Here's the thing: when we start picking and choosing which parts of the Bible to follow based on our preferences, we're no longer letting God's word shape us - we're shaping God's word to fit our lives. But transformation happens when we let the clear teachings of Scripture challenge and change us, even when it's uncomfortable.

The Bible isn't just a suggestion box; it's God's loving guidance for how life works best.

Reflection Question: Is there a clear biblical teaching that you've been avoiding or trying to reinterpret because it challenges your current lifestyle or thinking?

Prayer: God, give me the courage to take your word seriously, even when it challenges me. Help me to be moldable clay in your hands rather than trying to reshape your truth to fit my preferences. Amen.