(Hebrews 4:12 KJV) For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Recently I have been eating a lot of salads. I have the scars to prove it. I forget that knives are sharp on a regular basis and, bingo, the blood flows. It does add color to the meal, but not much to it’s visual appeal.
I find myself paraphrasing David in the Psalms, “How many times, O Lord?” I don’t have an answer yet.
We have one of those metal rods with our knife set and I thought it was really cool to strop the blade a few times each use. The injuries increased. I realized that a sharp knife cuts quicker than a dull knife and you don’t feel it until later. I sharpen knives less often now.
Always looking for life applications, I thought about how people deal with the Word, or should I say don’t deal with the Word. Reading and thinking about what the Bible says means that you are sharpening your understanding. In spiritual terms that means that you are more likely to run into its sharp edges and cut yourself. This will necessitate change and healing. It will make us adjust how we do things.
One reason that many people do not want to read the Bible is that they know it is sharp and “piercing.” Notice that the verse points out how it “is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” It brings conviction, guilt, and a need for repentance and change. If that isn’t a good reason to avoid the Bible, I don’t know what is.
It can sneak up on you. I even cut myself when I was cleaning a knife and had the blade safely directed away from my body. I followed the rules. It still got me. Unfortunately my fingers got on the wrong side of the bevel. I keep telling myself I will learn.
I still cut up all kinds of stuff for salads. I have not abandoned the practice because I make mistakes. I have tried to learn and adjust. Also paying attention helps.
It would be good if we would apply the same discipline to our Bible reading.
homo unius libri
Spiritual matters aside, you really DO cut yourself less with a sharp knife, IF you allow yourself to STAY USED to sharp knives! Many folks find that they cut themselves more with DULL knives, since they have to apply more pressure. I guess it depends what sort of work you're doing.
ReplyDeleteI understand that and have experienced it with an ax and a saw. I have even noticed it with knives, but there is something about cutting up vegetables. If the knife is sharp I start moving more quickly and not paying attention. I am sure it is me, not the knife.
ReplyDeleteSo what your are saying is keep the knife sharp, get used to it, take my scars and grow up. I guess that is a good spiritual lesson too.
Keep me, and my knives, sharp.
Grace and peace.