Anticipating and Not Just Doing

I remember years ago, when I was in a community theater, I was more focused on knowing what I should do than I was paying attention to what was really happening. I was playing the son of one of the characters. A stagehand pushed me out to do my part. It was actually too early. I didn’t know what to do, so I was just standing there. Fortunately, my “father” realized what was happening and he asked me if I had gotten my chores done. I looked blankly at him. Then he told me to go back to my room and finish my chores. I only knew enough to accomplish what I had memorized, but I was unable to adapt to a setting that I had not trained for. I was young, but I still should have known better. I think that sometimes as Christians, we may know what the word says, but we have no idea how to put it into practice when we speak with others. I have actually run into a number of Jehovah’s Witnesses, whose Bible is a bad translation, that have studied the part they want to tell you. They are prepared for many of the normal questions that might come up. If, however, the conversation goes outside of that which they have prepared for, they often fumble with their words or come up with something that is not part of their normal teaching. Again, many of them are only able to work with what they had specifically trained for. We need to keep learning about what God’s word says, but we also need to be putting it into practice. More than memorizing a section, we need to know how all the pieces fit together. Knowing and living out that word are two totally different things. It’s like being in a theater production, knowing your line, but not listening to know how it all gets put together. When asked a serious question, we need to give that our attention. If we can answer or put it in context, that is good. If we are not sure, instead of guessing, we need to tell them we will do some research, find out, and then come back and share what we find. That pushes us to dig deeper, ask others for help, and get a chance to share a little longer. Keeping reading? Yes! Keep sharing what we learn with others? Yes! Admit when a question is stumping us? Yes... and make sure to find answers. Pay attention to where others are coming from! Father, Give me wisdom as I have devotions and dig deeper in Your word. Show me how to share my faith with others. Amen