High School Yearbook

I sat in on a workshop/seminar lead by Richard Coleman (The Mission Society) titled "How to Grow a Missions Minded Church."  The topic was well addressed. Richard was engaging and smart and motivational. It was a good investment of an hour or so.

Richard made a few statements in the midst of things that have required further thought. Really good stuff. Consider this: We look at the Bible like we look at our high school yearbook. Think about it...when you first got your hand on your yearbook, what did you do?  Well, maybe I'm more egocentric than you are (I expect I am...I mean, I am blogging and actually think people read it). I started flipping from front to back or back to front looking for all the pictures of ME.  And then my friends. And then other things. Mostly...me.  

Do we do that with God's Word -- flip through the pages looking for the places where we can see ourselves?  Or do we look for God in His book?  It is GOD'S WORD, not RUTH'S WORD.  

And like my yearbook, when I find a photo of myself that I don't like -- the lighting isn't complimentary or I was "caught" making a face or doing something stupid, I blame it on someone else or start trying to figure out how to remove/mark out the photo. Or, more likely than that even, I twist the reality and turn it into a joke like I intended to look that way.  

Hmmm.  I'm still thinking about it.