Psalm 128
This Psalm is a perfect example of how we can get Biblical interpretation wrong. The Psalmist write in absolutes, but it is still a Psalm, which means that it is a poem or a song lyric. I used to write a lot of song lyrics and I can tell you from experience that you often find yourself writing in terms that are black and white even if the reality is so much grayer. What this means is that when the Psalmist says "you shall be happy, and it shall go well with you" he doesn't necessarily mean ALL THE TIME. Unfortunately there are those Biblical interpreters that would tell you that is exactly what the Psalmist means, after all that is how its wrote, if you do this [fear the Lord] you will get this [blessed].
On the other hand our experience tells us that is not always the case. The Psalmist says that your wife [or husband as the case may be] will be like a fruitful vine, but I have known spouses who lie and cheat and hurt very godly people that they committed forever too. The Psalmist says that your children will be like olive shoots, but I have known very godly people whose son committed murder. I have known true believers who have lost everything in a fire or flood or tornado. I have known salt of the earth people who die from cancer or get alzheimer's. I have known those creating a city on a hill that have encountered what most of us might consider a curse.
Following God does not automatically equal happiness and blessing, anyone who tells you it does goes through life not paying attention. And Jesus tells us to pay attention, to have eyes that see and ears that hear. Life is, that's the way God made it, so don't forget your experience when you are reading the Bible. Realize that sometimes the author may not mean exactly what they are saying, and even if they do it still may not jive with reality.
+ How do you react when you come across a scripture that doesn't seem to be true in life?
No comments:
Post a Comment