[This reflection by Dennis Ginter was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, 16/Oct/2022]
I’m just getting into Eugene Peterson’s “EAT THIS BOOK”. He explains that ‘eat’ here means to gnaw on, like a dog gnaws on a bone, or a lion on a carcass. Of course, he’s talking about getting into the Bible – or, rather, letting the Bible get into us!
I realised that most of my life I’ve been reading God’s Word for information, not transformation. To score points in a discussion, instead of submitting myself to what the Holy Spirit might be challenging me to take hold of.
Maybe you’re not the kind of person who becomes so obsessed by a thought or phrase that you can’t shake it for a week! I am. Just the day before yesterday, I found myself pondering on what Jesus really meant by loving my neighbour. Of course, I’m still gnawing on it! If loving others is really one aspect of the most important commandment of all, then NOT loving might also be the biggest SIN of all.
While I debate on what my attitude and behaviour should be towards people whose sexuality is different from mine, or people whose arrival in our community puts demands on my comfort or finances, or towards people I find awkward or even annoying – am I loving them the way Jesus did? If not, then I’m committing a serious sin! That needs to be confessed and remedied!
Or perhaps I should drop that bone and find another tastier one!?
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Contributed by Dennis Ginter; © the Author
