This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:24)
Like most people, I have my favorite Bible passages. You know, those “go-to” scriptures that always speak loudly and clearly. I love them, and I turn to them again and again.
That’s one of the reasons I read a daily devotional guide like “The Upper Room.” Every morning, 365 times a year, I start my day out with someone else’s favorite selections from the Bible.
The discipline is helpful on many levels. First, simply spending deliberate time in the presence of God puts everything else into its proper perspective. Then – and this is hugely important in my faith journey – one of the first things I do each new day is to read God’s word through the eyes of someone who is not me.
I believe this is important because we live in a world where there’s one giant contradiction in play, and it goes like this: We are more connected than ever before to people, information, ideas, understandings, and variances of opinion… yet – more and more – people seem to narrow their exposure to ideas and conclusions that they already hold. In other words, we’re less and less open to seeing things from someone else’s point of view.
Thomas Jefferson famously compiled a version of the New Testament that was limited to the passages he liked and agreed with. I’m sure that – for most people – such an exercise would result in a really short book.
So – granted, in a very small way – my morning devotions serve to remind me that I still have much more to learn than I currently know, and much to learn from other people.
It’s just 6:00 am on a Saturday, I’m writing from a busy gate at RDU airport where I’m surrounded by hundreds of people who are on this same journey; wouldn’t it be amazing if we all had the disposition of being willing to learn from one-another?
Maybe, one person at a time, we can reverse this trend toward polarization, entrenchment, obduracy, and – ultimately – a return to the Dark Ages.
In hope, always, and in the light of the promise that is tomorrow – DEREK
Than you for this. I have to be willing to learn from others or I become more close minded and a bit of a know it all. I really appreciate your honesty and keen insight into the church and Christians in general. There is so much we can learn from each other if we are willing to listen. I think listening is almost becoming a lost art. I have to catch myself or I will want to do all of the talking and very little listening. Thank you for your open mind and getting me to focus on what it means to follow Christ.
Thank you!
I’m on my way to Tampa to speak at a men’s retreat – prayers appreciated.
Peace to you – Derek
God bless you. I will be praying for you.