(ThyBlackMan.com) There are many ways to read the Bible, unfortunately too many of us are led to believe we can only read it as a manual for moral living. That is definitely one of the primary functions of the text, but that is not the only way by which the book can teach. Not many of us want to sit down and continually read a textbook or manual. Consistent interaction with the Word is necessary for it to get rooted in one’s heart and become a part of how one lives. The lack of consistency in biblical interaction can make it easier to neglect the matter all together until it is needed. How we introduce education and learning to our children will determine whether they see it as an adventure or as a chore. This is the same concept. Reading is a wonderful thing because books give us an escape from all the madness in the world. We can mentally go somewhere else, and this escape from our troubles gives us the recharge needed to go back and deal with life. The bible can be one of those books also.
In addition to being used as a mortal compass, The Bible is seen as one of the greatest pieces of literature ever written. We know story books entertain while teaching us…the Bible can do the same. When you look at it as literature there are so many stories in this anthology, and you have various stories with completely different, and similar, themes. This allows you to interact a bit differently with the text and it shapes how you still see the stories. Before you revolt, this does have a spiritual benefit as you are still in the Word and that is ultimately the goal…but now for some it will be enjoyable from a different perspective. This can lead more to read for themselves, and understanding will come.
I remember being a nocturnal child, I am still such, and when I could not sleep my mother would tell me to read my bible. For a while that didn’t work at all because I wasn’t trying to read my “life study book” as I used to call it. I’d basically get up and get one of the novels off the shelf; I would be teleported too somewhere else… I needed to get away and off I went into a book. Well, I’d be out of town and in a hotel for a convention when not only couldn’t I need sleep and I forgot my book. I decided to try to read the Bible like I would a novel, and it was the best decision ever. As I read was taken back in time and everything felt a bit more real. I walked away with knowledge I didn’t gather in my study time, and most importantly I loved the interaction.
There is no need to be concerned that you are not going to feed your spirit as needed. On the contrary, you are interacting with the text hence you are still learning…it just reads differently. You might find that you are learning more about the different nuances of a situation when you aren’t dissecting it at that moment or how to live. Let me just say studying the bible the way you would an important textbook is still necessary. Prayer and proper study of the Word is irreplaceable.
However, this would be positive for reading away from your study time, and when you are reading as literature there are details that stick out to you that might have been apparent to you. Your character assessments might be a bit different as you read. I think I understood Moses a bit more when I was reading a novel from an anthology. He felt a bit more personable as I was reading for nothing more than the story itself. This might also be a great way to engage your tweens and teenagers in reading their bible. At this point, the Bible can be the book of choice for a family book club.
Literature can be an adventure, comfort, an escape, entertaining, and in the midst of all of that it is still teaching us through those mediums. The bible is no different…trust me its not sacrilege. The bible then becomes more to us as it becomes a part of the stories we read just because we love them and want to see that time and space again. The bible is still one of my favorite anthologies to read just because I love the stories, characters, themes, and I want to return to them. Yes, I’m still studying…but now I also have bedtime stories. Give it a try.
Staff Writer; Christian Starr
May connect with this sister over at Facebook; C. Starr and also Twitter; MrzZeta.
Also via email at; CStarr@ThyBlackMan.com.