Page-Turner, It Is Not

First, there will be no Star Wars: The Last Jedi spoilers in this post. 

Yesterday, I had the privilege of spending time at the movies with my wife. As we watched the newest sequel, a short dialogue piqued my interest. There was a discussion about the sacred Jedi texts. The scene revealed that Luke never really read them, though they were readily available to him. Someone tells Luke that the texts are not exactly page-turners.

This reminds me of many things. I remember sitting through many safety meetings at work. They can be duller than watching grass grow. However, if someone pays attention to the instruction and puts it into practice, they can save themselves from pain or even death. 

Some teachers and professors may have the same effect as taking ZZZQuil. They will put you to sleep faster than any sleep aid on the market. They may have great material to teach, but the excitement level leaves you wondering if the subject is even relevant. We often wish to learn on the job, but gaining understanding before a task arises gives us a better chance at success. 

Even when you think of the Bible, there are some exciting parts. Many seem to have their favorite parts and read them repeatedly. I love to read Genesis, Joshua, and Judges. The narratives tell a story that reveals Godly truths. Others prefer reading Psalms or Proverbs, while others prefer the Gospels or the Prophets. I have yet to hear anyone say he or she enjoyed reading all of the genealogies. To be honest, I think reading the books of Numbers, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy is sleep-worthy material.

That does not mean that there is nothing of value in there. Every part of the scriptures has a purpose. Some parts seem to interest us more than others. We tend to focus on what brings us enjoyment rather than what needs to be learned. This leaves us unbalanced or with just a part of the truth.

Some people read the entire Bible in a year. It is their goal. While that is quite an accomplishment, I hope they got more out of it than just finishing it. If I finished it in just a year, I would not have time to meditate on it.  I hope they learned something and put it into practice.

Some people never read the Bible but try to quote it to prove their position. This is mostly done out of context causing their whole argument to be invalid. When you only see one portion of the Bible and not how it relates to the whole, you miss truths. It is then easy to twist its true meaning. That is dangerous.

I am grateful that we have access to the Bible. We can read it when we want. The choice is up to us. I suggest we read the whole thing. If you struggle with “the boring parts” read part of that and finish with something that excites you. Try to learn from everything that is in there. Many of the religious leaders in Jesus’ day were reprimanded due to their lack of knowledge of the scriptures. I wonder if that is because they only read their favorite parts, or did they just not seek to truly understand what they read?

Reading the Bible is important. Learning from it and living it is more important.