THE BLIND MEN AND THE ELEPHANT

Remember that old story about the blind men meeting up with an elephant? One thought it must be a rope because he had come upon the tail as he began to check on the huge animal. Another thought a pillar and I don't remember what the opinion was of the other two.

It has been bothering me lately that two people can read the same passage in the Bible and get two entirely different meanings. Now, I am not talking so much about history or prophecy which oftentimes are not perfectly clear. I am referring to verses that have to do with character or relationships or daily walk with God. I find myself shaking my head at some of the things I have heard in the last several years that are diametrically opposite to what I was taught in my rock solid Bible believing church as a child. How can that be?

The question has forced me into examining the issue and the current scene and myself. It is my opinion that the Bible as a whole in Christendom as a whole, is less revered in deed and in truth than it has been in years past. By that I mean that although most "Bible believing" entities would strike their fist to their chests and assert that they believe undauntingly in the good book, but if a little mouse could be present at all services, committee meetings and small groups, it would find the open Bible scarce.

It is missing. It is diluted. It's impact is lessened by piles of well-meaning books. It is, (and this is the imagery of someone else), like going for a spanking and hiding a dinner plate where the "spank" will be.

And then...I'm sorry, but I must say what I believe...there is the explaining of God's mighty word through the eyes of Christian psychology. I would not be so hard on such a thing if it weren't for the fact that I keep hearing how passages or a verse here and there get interpreted "lightly" to help a struggling person cope a little easier. After all, God's Word is sometimes hard to take especially when a person is depressed or angry.

I heard a pastor on the radio giving an answer on one of those one-minute question and answer things. The question was, "What does it mean to submit to your husband?" The first 15 words from his mouth explained what it means and ended with a "but," and the rest of the minute went to explaining that we are all supposed to submit to each other.

I wrote to him. I told him I was disappointed that he had passed up an opportunity to tell the writer the actual answer. Of course we are supposed to submit to one another, but that is not what the questioner asked. It was a funny thing, but I had just run across a verse in Matthew that had struck me because in the ESV, the point was a little more pointed. Jesus said that it wasn't a good idea to "dilute" His word.

We need to train ourselves and the people we teach...kids, Bible studies, small groups, congregations...to take the words on the pages of the Scriptures straight. For instance, over and over again, the Bible admonishes us to strive for unity and peace and oneness. Over and over again. Instead, when life gets a little testy "peoplewise," folk love to quote the verse, "as much as lies in you, live peaceably with all men." People want a way out rather than to seek and find the heart of God.

God's Word, awesome and perfect and wonderful, is hard on us. Taken straight, it makes soldiers and heals marriages and ends affairs and sends workers into the harvest. We take the promises straight, but we water down the "if-you-love-Me-keep-My-commandments" commandments. Oh, our quality of love can be measured in how we surrender to His Word down to the implications!

Open our eyes, Lord, so that we may really see the elephant!