Don't Talk About It, Be About It: Reading The Word

Many things are caught more than taught. You've probably heard that phrase before.

Over the past couple of weeks, this idea has surfaced in shows, podcasts, and even songs. The predominant example describes children catching mannerisms and sayings from their parents.

In one show, one of the characters even said, “Oh no, I am beginning to sound like my father!”

The question leaps off the page, “Why?”

Why does this happen to us? How after all the years of denial and rebellion and refusal do we still end up sounding like our parents (in some cases)?

Easy, it has seeped into us. Think crock pot. Food cooking slowly for hours.

Over 18+ years, the things our families did, said, and believed have been marinated into our hearts and minds. Then one day we hear the same words coming out of our mouths.

But often in the church we try to force-feed people. Think about spiritual disciplines such as reading the Bible, praying, etc. We guilt people into doing it. We try to incentivise them. We even try to trick them outright.

What if we changed our approach? Instead of talking about the importance of reading the Bible everyday, what if we just did it?

A couple of years ago at MFuge a youth pastor named Chip Dean described it this way, “What if instead of telling students how important devotions are, we simply (and regularly) talked about ours and what we have been learning?”

It might sound like this, “Yesterday when I was reading...” or “Recently, I stumbled across this verse...” or “During my devotion time the other day...”

Using this kind of language about reading the Word seeps into our brains.

One of the reasons I write this blog is to show how God is active in everyday life. Through conversations. Television. Books. Interactions. Pretty much anything. God is always there. This blog intends to crock pot this truth into your hearts and minds by telling stories of His activity and presence rather than just stating “He is active”.

Therefore, our first step is to prioritize reading the Word for ourselves. We have to make time and get into it.

At a youth conference a few years back, Zane Black was talking about this issue in his own life and was amazed at how his friend and colleague, Propaganda, read his Bible. So Zane asked for some advice. Prop's response, “Dude, you have to be a jerk about your time with God!”

Nothing else comes in between you and that time. We guard other aspects of our time, why not this one?

Let's stop talking about how important reading God's Word is and simply start doing it.

I love how the Kendrick Brothers work this idea into their movies. In just about every movie they have made there is a scene where the child sees his parents praying, struggling with doing the right thing, and relying on God.

I have even read that one reason we should read our physical, hard-copy Bibles at home (and everywhere) instead of our Bible apps is so our children have no doubt what we are doing if they happen to stumble onto us reading.

God's Word, The Bible, is Him revealing Himself to us. It shares His heart, His intentions, His salvation through faith in Jesus, and His ultimate plan of eternal life.

It has the power to transform your heart, mind, soul, and life.

This week, let's plant our flag in the sand and get into His Word and watch Him move in our lives. And before we know it, we may start sounding like our Heavenly Father.

Anyway, I was just thinking...