Being a graduate of Moody Bible Institute, I have had hammered into me time and time again the importance of handling God's Word properly. I mean, 2 Timothy 2:15 is the school's favorite verse. It's posted everywhere on campus. I learned how to do inductive Bible studies (that take about 3 hours to complete!) and how to use the background, culture, and context of a passage to help show the original intent of the author and thereby what God is really trying to teach us when we read His words. And this is all well and good, but it is tiresome, and ultimately, in a ministry to at-risk youth like TreeHouse, sometimes it even seems burdensome to go through such a process when most of my conversations revolve around depression, fighting, anger, broken homes/relationships, and sex.
However, a couple of days ago I sat down to a one-to-one with one of my students. This student has had an increased desire to better understand God lately- mainly desiring to know what God wants him to do with his life. A verse Bill Allison shared about 5 million years ago during chapel at PCS came to mind. Colossians 3:23, "Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people." In choosing this passage, I wanted him to start getting the concept that the ultimate goal/plan for our lives is simply living for the Lord. All that other stuff about where to go and what job to have and whom to marry will come, but this is the starting point.
He was tracking with me for a little while when I asked what this made him think/question. He said, "what about people that are jerks? Am I supposed to work hard for a boss that I hate and doesn't respect me?" I thought for a moment, then realized that the verses leading up to v.23 stated, "Slaves obey your earthly masters in everything you do.... serve them sincerely because of your reverent fear of the Lord." It was amazing to see God's Word speaking directly to this student's questions! The understanding flooded his mind and he smiled.
We talked a little while longer until he stated, "that's so hard to do though, cuz like it's not like we get anything for obeying people that are jerks, do we? So who cares if we obey them or not?" My heart both skipped a beat and simultaneously sunk as I read verse 24-25, "Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ. But if you do what is wrong, you will be paid back for the wrong you have done. For God has no favorites." He smiled at me. It was clear God was speaking through His Word to this student throughout our conversation. It was one of the deepest, most God-honoring one-to-ones I've had in a while.
However, I felt like God had called me out. " ALL SCRIPTURE is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16). I had just talked on this last Thursday during our Going Deeper program, and yet here I was, doubting that God could speak through the context of Colossians 3:23. I took a shortcut, I copy/pasted a verse wanting to apply it to a situation. All the while, God's authoritative Word was speaking as it desired, rather than where I was wanting to place it.
Praise God that His Word is more powerful than mine, and pray for me to be a faithful steward to that Word and a humble mouthpiece.
