Familiarity
Familiarity
Familiarity is said to breed contempt, and that is probably accurate. How many times do we find ourselves dismissing what someone says because they always say that or what they do because it is repetitive?
You know what I mean as you have probably experienced it, both as the contemptor and the contemptee.
The one place we cannot afford this contempt comes from familiarity is when we come to Scripture, to the divinely inspired and Spirit-protected word of God.
"All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work." (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
"For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do." (Hebrews 4:12-13)
This needs to be our prayer:
"Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way." (Psalm 139:23-24)
And this:
"Two things I ask of You, do not refuse me before I die:
Keep deception and lies far from me,
Give me neither poverty nor riches;
Feed me with the food that is my portion,
Then I shall not be full and deny You and say, 'Who is the LORD?'--
Or that I be in want and steal and profane the name of my God." (Proverbs 30:7-9)
Clinging to the promise of Psalm 23:1:
"The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want."
Familiarity is said to breed contempt, and that is probably accurate. How many times do we find ourselves dismissing what someone says because they always say that or what they do because it is repetitive?
You know what I mean as you have probably experienced it, both as the contemptor and the contemptee.
The one place we cannot afford this contempt comes from familiarity is when we come to Scripture, to the divinely inspired and Spirit-protected word of God.
"All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work." (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
"For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do." (Hebrews 4:12-13)
This needs to be our prayer:
"Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way." (Psalm 139:23-24)
And this:
"Two things I ask of You, do not refuse me before I die:
Keep deception and lies far from me,
Give me neither poverty nor riches;
Feed me with the food that is my portion,
Then I shall not be full and deny You and say, 'Who is the LORD?'--
Or that I be in want and steal and profane the name of my God." (Proverbs 30:7-9)
Clinging to the promise of Psalm 23:1:
"The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want."