Reading the Bible, Knowing Jesus (2)

 

 

As I ponder the three conversations concerning the Bible that have challenged and shocked me, let me ask; How do you read the Bible? How do you experience the Bible?

 

As you look back over your life, do you read the Bible the same way today as you always have? Has your experience with the Bible changed over the years?

 

Do you read articles, letters, books, cards, and documents the same way? Do you read marketing material the same way you read an email from a friend? Do you deal with spam email the same way you deal with email from a family member or a coworker?

 

If you are in a romantic relationship, do you write and “sound” differently to that special person than you do if you are sending a business email? Is your writing “voice” different when you write to a high school friend of many years than when you email an appliance repair company asking it why it has once again failed to show up for an appointment?

 

In my business career I wrote in many genres. I wrote technical instructions for using software. I wrote advertising copy. I wrote personnel reviews. I wrote contracts. I wrote letters putting parties on notice for contract violations. I wrote letters to government officials. I wrote letters to clients. I wrote thank you notes and letters to vendors and team members. I wrote strategic plans.

 

Each letter or email or contract or procedure I wrote required that I think about who I was writing to, who else might read what I was writing, the purpose of my writing, what I wanted to communicate, how best to communicate…and so many other things.

 

If I was writing a personnel review for someone who had a well – developed vocabulary, I would write one way; if English was a second language I would write another way. If the person needed to receive a strong message that immediate job improvement was critical, I’d write in one voice (at least in part of the review), if the review was more along the lines of continued successful development and coaching, I’d write in another voice.

 

If I am opening mail at home and have five pieces from companies that want to sell me the newest computerized mousetrap, I am going to handle those pieces differently than I will the card from our friends in Munich, Germany. My expectations will be different, my critical thinking will be different, my heart will be different, my defenses are up with mousetrap marketing, they are down with the card from our friends.

 

The way we approach the Bible matters, the way we listen to the Bible matters, the way we communicate the Bible matters, the way we respond to the Bible matters.

 

How do you read and experience the Bible?

 

How would you like to read and experience the Bible?