The Irrelevant Bible

Pop Quiz: What is really long, super old, and almost every house in America has one but never uses it?  You guessed it…The Bible.  It seems like people are losing the use for their Bible a little more each day.  Maybe that’s why we have more confusion about who God is in today’s church than ever before?

Here’s a little hypothetical situation.  A guy walks into a clothing store one evening.  He’s donning his brand new, top-of-the-line, designer shoes, that look a-w-e-s-o-m-e.  His head is held high and he is on cloud 9, noticing everyone staring at him as he walks in.  In his mind, his kicks are the ‘talk of the town.’  As he makes his way over to a rack of brightly colored shirts, he steps passed a full length mirror.  Stopping to admire his new footwear, he pauses and stands facing the mirror.  A look of horror sweeps over his face as he realizes he spilled his morning coffee down his white shirt.  No wonder everyone was staring!

In James, the Bible likens the Word of God to a mirror because it does a similar thing for you.  When you look into a mirror, you see your own image staring back at you.  In that moment, you cannot hide from your flaws or your assets, they are glaringly obvious.  You may even see things that weren’t there the last time you looked, like the spilled coffee on your shirt.  The point is, you see it all.  In the reflection, it’s all real and pretending it’s not there isn’t going to make it less obvious to you or others around you.

Just like a real mirror, the Word of God is a tool for you to look into also, and just like a real mirror, the reflection will change based on the way you look at it.  The Word of God presents the truth, unadulterated and in brutal honesty.  It provides something for us to look into to see the state of our lives.  You’re doing well here, you need work there.  That’s why the Bible says when we read the Word and don’t follow what it says with action, it’s like we’ve looked at our coffee stained shirt in the mirror and walked away, forgetting what we saw.  You’ll continue to walk around with that shirt, stained and dysfunctional until you change it.

The Bible is a living, moving thing.  It is the inspired Word of God.  In it, there is ultimate truth about who we are.  The Bible says that we are healed, that we are provided for, and that we walk in the fullness of Christ.  So when we come to examine our reflection in the Bible with something like a sickness, it becomes obvious that we need adjustment in that area.  So we work on it.  God’s truth says that we are healed and that Jesus has been beaten brutally so that we could accept and walk in that truth.  You see, when we allow Christ to makeover our image, our reflection in the mirror should be similar to His.  Now, that’s not to say we don’t ever sin or miss the mark, because we will definitely do, but when we do, that is the perfect time to step in front of the mirror, see where we are and allow the Lord to work on us.

Too many Christians don’t read their Bible.  In fact, it is the minority who actually do.  I know I have been undisciplined at times to read on a consistent basis, but I also know that when I make that time for the mirror of God’s Word, my life is better off.  I seem to be more confident in the things of the Lord, because I know where I stand before Him.  My dad, Rocky Veach said this on Wednesday, “Your relationship with God is only as good as your relationship with your Bible.”  I love that, because it’s so true.  God does speak into your life using the still, small, voice, or other believers, or in rare cases He even speaks audibly, but the majority of the time, He speaks through His Word.  He reveals things to us as we spend time peering into the reflection.  He meets our action with His action.  When we take time to read the Bible and ask God to show us our reflection, He will be faithful and just to meet us there and help us where we fall short.

The Bible is relevant today, because it has always been relevant.  How’s that for irony?  It will never lose its power to show you the truth about who you are in Christ Jesus.  Your life, subject to the Bible will always be pertinent.  I challenge you today, if you haven’t already, to put yourself on some sort of reading schedule, not to be religious, but to give God something to work with.  Even if you don’t read a ton, commit something to God and see what He does with it.  I promise, you’ll be blown away by what God can do for you through the looking glass.