For those of you brought up in the church, let me share with you some of the wilderness those of us not as fortunate must encounter. I thought the Bible was a gift for 8th grade graduation. My churchy friends got one with the names stamped on the front cover. Me? I was so happy I didn’t go to church. What a bummer to get a Bible as a gift. When I left home to attend a little business college I lived in a one room apartment which included a community bathroom shared with two grumpy old maids living one and two doors down. My room was papered in flowers which was coincidental as the Statler Brothers released their hit, Counting Flowers On the Wall. It was often a quiet and lonely setting.
Not realizing my spirit was hungering from within in those college years, I began to pick up the Bible and read at it. I’d take on three verses a day. Such a weak approach proved my premeditated opinion to be accurate once again….boring. I eventually shifted my search to topics listed in the back of the Bible. Once I was curious about why it was wrong to dance. I didn’t dance but was simply trying to decipher the Word. The listing indicated dancing was forbidden, but when referencing the recommended verses there was no word “dancing” mentioned. More confusion.
To make matters worse, the references seemed unstable as to the whereabouts of a guy called John. There was John I and II and III which made no sense. It got more confusing. There was a fourth John but the book was called Revelation. Go figure. Too, there was a fifth John known as Regular John or Plain John….or Just John.
My point? I’m convinced there are hundreds and thousands today who are just like I was. Their interest in God is awakening their spirits. Their self-imposed objection to Him is melting. But, they have no idea where to begin. For those of you who have desks in the workplace, get a religious book by Lucado or Swindoll or whoever and place it on one corner. Say nothing to anyone. Just lay it there. See how many ask if they could borrow it. I’m telling you, people around you want to know God. You can help them get started. It’s easy.
1 comment:
I had my first realization that not everyone grew up learning about the Bible when I was in college. A roommate of mine had never been to church a day in her life. I couldn't believe it. For Christmas that year I gave her a Bible. She was so excited (it had her name on the front and everything). Then things changed. When I used to just walk into her room anytime now I found the door locked or she would scramble to hide something when I walked in. (I thought she was hiding drugs). Eventually I found out she was hiding the fact that she was reading the Bible because she didn't get it and she was embarassed to tell me because I seemed to know it so well. (Boy did I have her fooled). Anyway I sat down with her and realized that she was reading like you would any book -- start at the beginning and go. I told her to start in the New Testament -- maybe with John and see how that went. She seemed to enjoy reading it more and was understanding better.
I never got her to church with me but several years later I ran into her at a store and she said she had been going to church pretty regular. She still didn't get it all but she liked being there.
Thanks for the lesson -- not all of us do grow up in the church.
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