When I was young, my parents insisted on daily quiet time practice. Reading the Bible and praying was part of the homeschooling routine my mother established. Starting in Genesis when I was in kindergarten we read a chapter each day until it started over again, when the third born child started kindergarten. Going this way I have read through the entire Bible at least three times, just in school. This does not include the myriad of retellings and readings through Sunday School, AWANA, and church attendance. In my teen years, I attempted a few read the Bible in a Year things. While I have not read it from cover to cover in years, I have read many parts multiple times.
Scripture memorization was also a part of my childhood education. While my ability to quote long passages is weak, I can recall enough substance and context to find obscure passages. Nobody could find a passage quicker than I in the youth group. I would copy out Scripture to practice both handwriting and typing. I learned to pronounce the wacky names and read commentaries and in-depth studies.
This was a difficult thing to maintain in the early days of motherhood. It was easy enough to set aside time in the early morning when I was a teen and my responsibilities did not include keeping youngsters alive. The sleep-deprived, often interrupted days of early motherhood took a toll on me physically, mentally, and spiritually.
It was then too that I began to question the the interpretations of the Bible that I had been taught. I found looking at marked-up pages of my teenage Bible discouraging and even downright judgemental. So I set it aside and bought a different translation. As I came out of the funk of the infant years I tried many times to reinstate the habits of my youth, only to find them oppressive.
All the journaling pens and highlighters, all the companion studies, all the Pinterest inspiration in the world could not have made me want to return to the approach of my youth. Reading the passages ad nauseam does not make you a better person or Christian. Rereading does not guarantee understanding. As for interpretation, one only has to look at the variety of churches to realize that is a complicated task.
As I have begun learning from different sources I have found that there are a lot of different ways of living habitual spirituality without a specific Bible reading plan. The amount of Bible I read and memorized may help me with meditative practices or reading different translations. It is very grounding to ponder a familiar passage in a new way. To be open to wonder and not need to be so regimented.
I have not finished watching even the first season of The Mandalorian, not because baby Yoda/Grogu isn’t adorable, but because I found the rigid saying, “This is the way” to be particularly triggering to my upbringing. The Bible was THE WAY and there was only one way and there was no wondering or arguing or discussing other ways. But I want to wonder, about the stories lost to time, the culture of the writers, the way Jesus lived, and why he captured the world's attention.
I want to wonder about Creation stories from indigenous cultures and how similar or different they are from the Bible creation tale. I want to wonder what my relationship to the earth is because of the story of Creation. Because our spiritual beliefs play a major role in how we treat the earth, how we treat other people, and generally how we live.
My morning may not have devoted time to reading the Bible or a study, but that does not mean that my days are not steeped in spiritual practice. Because I believe a spiritual life is an integrated life. What good is reading if you don’t live like you believe what you are reading? And if you believe you should act on that belief. So if I believe that Jesus loved the marginalized, the poor, the sick, etc, I should act in a way that matches that belief.
Some of the beliefs I was raised with were quite black and white. Wife’s submission and silence, absolute first-time obedience from children, literal seven-day Creation. Other beliefs about homeschooling, divorce and marriage, and the role of government had “clear Biblical principles” according to the church leaders.
It is my opinion that these “clear” beliefs have led to some of the worst actions in humanity. If you can convince people that they have a god-given right to power, they will do cruel things. But power is not a God-given right. Jesus and others encouraged quiet, compassionate lives. So instead of a habit of bible reading, I hope to cultivate a habit of kindness, to myself, my family, and others.
For the Ears
Through TikTok, I was led to this creative project about the Odyssey. Since childhood, I have enjoyed Greek mythology, and seem to be consuming a considerable amount of it in various forms.
For the Eyes
The other forms I am finding Greek mythology are books. The first book I read this year was A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes, which focuses on the women of the Trojan War (not just Helen of Troy). I am also reading Nobody’s Mother: Artemis of the Ephesians in Antiquity and the New Testament by Sandra Glahn. The book of Ephesians is one of the most marked-up deep studies I did as a teenager. Understanding the culture of Ancient Greece and Rome is important to understanding the Bible, and the spread of Christianity. Understanding the culture of the time makes a major difference in the interpretation of specific passages, those about the role of women included.
For the Taste Buds
Random Bible verses that come to mind regarding taste:
Oh taste and see that the Lord is good.
Butter and honey shall he eat.
…and they called it manna, meaning “What is it?”
You shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.
You shall have a little wine for your stomach.
Whatever you do, whether you eat or drink, do all to the glory of God.
Do you have any instant recall of Bible verses?
May this week bring kindness to your senses and soul.