Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Studying Scripture Honestly

I've noticed that when I'm studying scripture, I get more out of it if I just study it as myself. What I mean is, I always used to (and still do) get into "Bible Study Mode", where I take scripture seriously. I try to place myself in a frame of mind where I can best prevent the parts of myself that I understand to be unbiblical from negatively affecting my study, and allow those parts that have flourished because of my faith to take the lead. I still believe this is a good way to approach scripture, but perhaps it is not honest.

I have found this year that when I let myself relax, focus on scripture alone without trying to simultaneously control myself, I see more. This means I can be snarky, crass, and generally respond to scripture in ways that are natural but part of my mind decries as disrespectful. I respond to things like Paul writing in 1 Thessalonians 3:6 "he has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us" with a sarcastic "That's nice". I have a good habit of being able to look past disturbing phrasing to get at actual meaning, but I let that fall by the wayside, and make scripture prove to me that it's not offensive, racist, or wrongly wrathful.

Now, I believe the application out of this is not to treat scripture disrespectfully, but honestly. If I'm currently at a place where I am asinine, disinterested, or even disbelieving of what I'm reading, I need to honestly acknowledge those as parts of my reaction which affect my understanding. I also need to be honest that I don't want to react like that, and thus my goal with those behaviors, then, is to grow out of them - BUT the best way to do so is not to ignore them.

I know this doesn't really sound that profound, but I am honestly quite surprised that my treating scripture in a way that I feel is disrespectful helps me develop even more respect for it.
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2 comments:

  1. AnonymousFebruary 3, 2009 at 4:34 PM

    yes.

    Although I don't know that it's right to think getting rid of those kinds of reactions should necessarily be your goal. Like, some stuff you should probably recognize as something that would be wrong for you to take as direct instruction to you, and in that kind of case the gut reaction that says "no!" might be useful. And I think there are also times when scripture is most meaningful when we're identifying with some of the crappy ways of being that we honestly are and that are included in scripture.
    Sure sometimes our gut reactions are wrong and continuing to honestly study the passage can certainly help figure that out. But sometimes that might be the way the Spirit is moving in you to tell you whether something is what you're being asked through scripture to do or not.

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  2. AnonymousFebruary 4, 2009 at 2:11 PM

    I like to just read the Bible, and see what jumps out at me. I'm not really one for snarking at it, but I empathize with how you feel.

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