The couple in front of me placed their order: “I’d like the number seven sandwich special, please. What’s on it?” The server could have been a wise guy and said “it’s right on the menu, read it for yourself,” but instead did the right thing and patiently described the details. And as the couple waited for their order, they noticed at the counter a little hand-written sign, “free bibles.” One of them fanned one of the bible’s pages like shuffling a deck of cards, thought for a second, looked at the other without saying a word—it was hard to detect body language whether positive or negative vibe—and they took their order and headed out the door.
That brief scene forced me to ask myself an important question: What would I say if that couple, or anyone, fanned a bible like a deck of cards and said, “This looks interesting. What’s in this?” I could be a halfway-helpful wise guy and say “well, you should read it for yourself.” It might be more helpful to patiently describe the highlights in just a few words to maybe pique curiosity. Except at that moment, I wouldn’t have been able to do that well. Because after all these years, I had never taken the time to summarize for myself in conversational English what the bible is all about and why it’s a huge deal. And that’s a big deal because this is a big deal:
“Always be ready to give a logical defense to anyone who asks you to account for the hope that is in you, but do it courteously and respectfully.”
—1 Peter 3:15, Amplified
So, the next morning, I started scribbling down every random thought that came to mind when trying to describe or explain the bible to myself so that maybe I could do the same to someone who is honestly curious and mostly knows only bits of pieces of scriptures taken out of context and put on people’s Instagram posts or spoken of as old-fashioned and irrelevant by modern debaters, experts and gurus.
There is so much, so much that could be said. Where to begin? I could say that the bible is more than a history book but a guidebook for living well in a world gone mad. I could say that it is an incredible and amazing love story of God’s created world from beginningless beginning to endless future. And I might say to that, “just look where we live—look all around. So beautiful. So detailed. So much symmetry that makes everything else work right day after day after day. Something like a snowflake or a sunset doesn’t just happen out of nowhere. Someone had to be behind it all, don’t you think?” And I could add that God takes it very seriously that He intended for all of us to take dominion of it all—including every tribe and tongue that He also mind-blowingly and lovingly created—with great care, stewardship, responsibility, servanthood, enthusiasm, love and compassion.
“Why is this world such a mess, then, and why do good things happen to bad people and bad things happen to good people?” A great question. I suppose I could say that “such a mess” was never God’s plan, and that the bible tells over and over again that God never forces anyone to love or obey Him, but that it’s His world and He warned that the consequences of doing life our own way would unleash evil and every form of life’s negativity. And of course, people being people, the first ones wanted to do things their way, and we’re part of that family, and so the rest is history—the results are still all around us even to this day. Frankly, some of it is hard to read about. But then there's the rest of the story!
I could say that unlike any other person we’ve known who loves us, God never gives up on us—that the bible tells over and over again that when people mess up, He patiently and longingly woos them back to Himself. Rinse, repeat. Even today. And I could say that everlasting love carries throughout the book until the climax when God sends His only Son who is actually part of His three-in-one nature (um, I have no idea how to explain that yet) to pay the price for sin and rebellion once and for all!—but again, God still doesn’t force His love on anyone. Rather, to only those who receives the gift paid by His Son, even today, there is peace and joy and an endless future far beyond life in this world. It’s all so amazing! And…
…I realize my scribbling needs more work. Because I realize that if I’m still having a hard time wrapping my own brain around all of this amazingness after all these years of reading the bible, what about that couple ordering take-out? All of this scribbling is worthwhile, though, and I’ll try to put some of it into words if someone someday asks, “hey, what’s in this?” But I think the most important thing I can say after all of that is this: Not just “read if for yourself” but first even dare ask a God you may not know or believe in (yet):
“Open my eyes to see wonderful things in Your Word. I am but a pilgrim here on earth: how I need a map—and Your commands are my chart and guide.”
—Psalm 119:18-19, Living Bible
Wait. Never mind just that couple ordering take-out. Look in the mirror…
“As we study scripture, we stand in the presence of the living God. Each time, it is as if He has handed us a letter from Himself and stays with us while we read it to hear what our answer will be.”—J.I. Packer
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