Category: Bible (Page 81 of 396)

I went into an Apple store yesterday to get a new battery installed in my phone. The store intimidates me—lots of people hovering around the latest tech while workers type on phones and tablets. Then came questions about my device. Clueless, I handed my phone to the wizards. Deep magic exists of which I’m unaware.

With the conjuring in full swing, I became the chatty old guy. As we waited for my phone, I asked a young woman a question, who opened up about how she liked working at this store and how her boss at her old job treated her poorly. I didn’t ask specifically about her work history, but a simple show of interest led down that path. She then helped me above and beyond. I went into the store focused on me and my phone, and left with an appreciation for a young woman working her way up in the world.

It’s easy for me to slip into the mindset of pleasing only myself. Every bit of media advertises the advantages of a self-centered life. While I do need to take care of me, seeking what feels best for me doesn’t always serve those around me.

Paul worked with a church whose members struggled with balancing their right to do what they wanted and their responsibility to others. He wrote: “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive. No one should seek their own good, but the good of others. Paul spoke of his own example when he said, I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.

Seeking the good of many might involve giving to worthy causes, or it might mean taking the time for a brief conversation with the person serving you. Either way, care and concern for others spreads the good news of Jesus.

I often overlook opportunities to seek good. But when I go through my day with open eyes, I find plenty of places to put Paul’s encouragement into practice.

1 Corinthians 10 in Through the Bible in 2024

Photo by Mihály Köles

Working around colleges and universities over the years I’ve had the privilege of interacting with multiple athletes. These young men and women demonstrate serious commitment to their sport. They watch what they eat, get good rest, and follow a coaching plan in order to maximize their natural abilities. Disciplined training brings maximized results.

The Apostle Paul wrote of athletes, likely from interacting with competitors and fans of the Olympic-style games held in Corinth:

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

Paul points out the need for a disciplined life as a believer. In order to grow, I must approach my faith journey purposefully, thoughtfully, and with serious intent. I lay out a regime of development and follow it. Just as no one haphazardly morphs into an exceptional athlete, a slovenly approach to my relationship with God leads to futility.

It seems I need an training plan for my soul.

One aspect of my regimen is reading through the Bible every year. The Scriptures form a necessary part of soul training. Carving out time (early morning for me) requires a small bit of discipline and a good dose of coffee. Over a span I sense some growth. Not that I’ve achieved world class results, but like Paul, I’m hoping to both enjoy the Lord and avoid disqualification in my race of life.

1 Corinthians 9 in Through the Bible in 2024

Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters

I hate mosquito bites, so when I work outside on summer days I douse myself with bug repellent. I prefer the strongest stuff I can find, and the smell comes across like a punch. I stay outside because my wife doesn’t enjoy me smelling up the house. I need to shower off the stink before lounging on the couch.

After years of neglect the people of Judah and Israel gathered to celebrate Passover. But many of the people had not undergone a purification ritual required to offer sacrifices in the temple, the holiest of places. They needed to shower off their stink.

Hezekiah, the king leading the renewal movement, prayed for the enthusiastic yet unprepared worshippers: “May the Lord, who is good, pardon everyone who sets their heart on seeking God—the Lord, the God of their ancestors—even if they are not clean according to the rules of the sanctuary.” And the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people.

The ritual of purification, while extremely important, took second chair to hearts seeking after God. Which is good news for all of us.

I can worry less about the outer forms that accompany a follower of Jesus, like showing up at church, watching my mouth, or praying before my meals. While I consider such things important, the inner workings of my soul take precedent. Ritual is less important than a heart tuned to the Lord.

Whether fresh from the bath or still needing to shower off my stink, if my focus centers on the Lord, then my heart inclines in the right direction.

2 Chronicles 30 in Through the Bible in 2024

Photo by Chandler Cruttenden

I always enjoyed fractions in math class. Halves and thirds and quarters broke units down into understandable chunks. Maybe that’s why when I learned that a tithe in the Bible usually refers to one-tenth it made sense. Laying aside ten percent to give away sounded reasonable.

The tithe sounded judicious to the Pharisees as well. They were extremely good at fractions, setting aside one-tenth of even their spices to check the giving box. But Jesus was not impressed.

Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.

Parsing out ten percent is easy. Encouraging justice, showing mercy, and remaining faithful to the ways of the Lord takes work. People are messy, and it requires humility to get in the dirt with those who need help. Shunting off a bit of my stuff is painless, but helping my neighbor becomes terribly inconvenient.

One reason I give money is so that I can walk away from the need in front of me. Someone else will take my gift and solve the problem, while I go back to football on TV. But Jesus won’t let me off the hook. Tithe, he says, but pay attention to the bigger picture. I need to give, but I also need to notice. Because in the end, being good with fractions misses the point of being good with people.

Matthew 23 in Through the Bible in 2024

Photo by Scott Rodgerson