Selecting the Most Important Source

This past week I had assisted Dad at 2 a.m. one morning. Usually I return quickly to sleep as soon as I can, which is almost always within five minutes. But this wee hour wakeup was different. I seemed driven to pick up the copy of The Message of the Bible that was within my reach. The next chapter I was scheduled to read astounded me when I realized how closely related these verses were to the following devotional based on Bob and Tailer's antics:

“You’re going to find that there will be times when people will have no stomach for solid teaching, but will fill up on spiritual junk food – catchy opinions that tickle their fancy. They’ll turn their backs on truth and chase mirages. But you- keep your eye on what you’re doing; accept the hard times along with the good; keep the Message alive; do a thorough job as God’s servant." 2 Timothy 4:3-5

Coveting the Food in the Garage

Bob and Tailer are fed high quality dry cat food based on the recommendation of their vet. Invariably, however, they crave the economy food put out for the outside cats’ daily supplement. (Dad believed cats should earn their keep by controlling the rodent population.) After Bob and Tailer have eaten each morning and when the outside cats have begun their routine cleanup ritual after finishing their food in the pans in the garage, I turn the two privileged cats outside to play the rest of the day. The back door opens, and Bob and Tailer rush the food area in the garage. For several minutes, Bob, especially, scours each dish of cat victuals left behind by the outside cats looking for any morsel of nourishment. Seldom will he find more than a bite or two, but he always searches as though he was starving.

As I shake my head at their behavior, a saying spoken frequently by my mother during my adolescent years pops into my mind. If she thought we were reading, watching, or listening to questionable material, and we attempted to validate the good from it, Mother would remind us, “You don’t have to go to the slop bucket for a biscuit.”

Wow! What a word picture! I vividly recalled as a preschooler going each evening with Dad to “slop” the two hogs. Peelings, plate scrapings, old leftovers, just to mention a few items, were in that bucket. The unappetizing quagmire smelled putrid, but an identifiable food item floated occasionally on the top of the scummy refuse. Never would I have reached my little hand in to grab the recognizable morsel.

Yet I cannot recall a time in my memory when more people are doing that. Like Bob and Tailer, myriads of individuals seldom value the Bible, the everlasting truth, let alone open it or tap one of the many Bible apps to see for themselves what God says about a matter. Instead, they seek the latest expert’s advice, the opinions of several million social media postings, or read books about the Bible. All of which are changeable and can be unreliable.

Jesus, in his prayer in John 17, said in verse 17, "Your Word is the truth. So let this truth make them completely Yours." (CEV). Jesus prays for the truth of God's Word to make His children complete in Him. The clear implication is that His Word has to be read. It can't make a follower of Jesus complete by osmosis or wishful thinking.

David asked the Lord to hear his prayer in Psalm 119:169 when he wrote, "Please, Lord, hear my prayer and give me the understanding that comes from Your Word." King David recognized that the understanding to live life comes from God's Word. The most revered king of Israel, inspired by the spirit of God, penned the longest chapter of the Bible. It is no coincidence that the lengthy chapter is devoted entirely to discussing the priceless value of God's Word.

Lord, I need understanding and truth in my life every day. Please help me to retreat to Your Word daily so I know how to live an effective life of perceptiveness in dealing with all that comes my way. Enable me to refrain from seeking wisdom from people, professionals, or popular opinions, unless their counsel aligns with the Bible.

One of Dad's nurses coincidentally shared her own "slop bucket" story just two days before I published this blog post. It was too good not to share.

Slop as a Crime Deterrent

Many years ago her grandmother owned and operated a cafe in the small Kansas town of Roxbury. The cafe was experiencing break-ins. Her no-nonsense grandma had enough. She was more than willing to give hungry people leftovers from the cafe, but she just couldn't abide the thought of someone pilfering through her cafe supplies so she decided to take things into her own hands. This gutsy restaurateur sent everyone home and made herself comfortable as she waited with her smelly, slimy bucket of slop. As she sat quietly, she soon heard the culprit approaching the window to gain entrance to her cafe. This determined grandma doused the unknowing robber with the entire contents of the slop bucket, timing the repulsive drenching perfectly. She put the slop bucket in its proper place, gathered her things, and walked the couple of blocks to her home, never bothering to identify or confront the stinky stealer. Needless to say, that little cafe had no more thieving!