Looking for the Word for the Day

This is a new concept for me: instead of reading the Word in the morning (only), look for it in conversations through the day. For example:

"Why not rather suffer wrong?" This came up over dessert with friends.

Later I found it in the Book: it is 1 Corinthians 6.7, where Paul is chiding believers about taking one another to court.

In our case, it was over a relational dust-up in which, if the offended party stood by his guns, he would be correct on principle but probably damage the other person. But "why not rather suffer wrong?" was advice that later led to healing in the relationship.

It was the WORD FOR THE DAY. It did not come early in the morning in the privacy of my room, sitting on my recliner with a Bible in my lap. It came in the hubbub of conversation late one evening.

And the advice wasn't even given to me. But I witnessed the working of the power of the Word.

Or this: "Be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger ... for the anger of man does not work the righteousness of God..." It is James 1.19-20.

This came in a conversation with a former drug addict at the Mission. Meth, coke; he did it all. Now old and grisly, he sat there in his tattered green jacket, with half his teeth missing. But a well-thumbed Bible was in his hands.

As we sat talking the thought crossed my mind: who's ministering to whom?

That morning I tried reading the Word, but felt empty and dry. So I started surfing the net and checking my email. Later I went to the Mission wondering what good I can do. That's when a former drug addict hit me with the WORD FOR THE DAY.

Looking for the Word through the day enriches each conversation. It takes me out of my bookish ways, as if reading the Scripture by rote in the morning -- and then forgetting it -- has any sanctifying power.

One last example: "it is better to give than to receive."

I haven't even looked up the address for this passage as I write this. But "it is better to give than to receive" has been on-again-off-again on the radar of my consciousness the last several days.

It gives me a quiet joy, and a willingness to infuse the fabric of daily events with a spirit of giving.

It makes the ho-hum a little more special.

Logos2Go

Okay I just looked it up: Acts 20.35: In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"

James 1.19-20 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

1 Corinthians 6.7 To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded?