35 He has filled them with skill to do all kinds of work as engravers, designers, embroiderers in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen, and weavers—all of them skilled workers and designers.
This was today’s reading for one of the daily devotions I receive via email. The writer spoke eloquently on the meaning of this verse, which they said was that all humans have been given all these gifts, that we are all artists! What a lovely thought!
Then, I read the whole chapter. This particular verse is about two specific men among the Hebrews who are gifted in these ways, and who have the ability to teach others.
I had two immediate reactions. First was Dang! I really liked the idea that we all have artistic gifts inside us. It was a bit disappointing to see that the writer had taken the verse out of context and made it mean whatever they wanted it to mean.
The second reaction was a deep sigh. It is so easy to take a verse completely out of context and make it mean whatever you want it to mean. Not just the Bible. Letters, excerpts from sermons, political speeches . . . you name it, someone can make any statement sound like the complete opposite of what is actually meant. The only way to be certain the words are being interpreted as they are meant is to place them in the context in which they were said. Which is why I read the whole chapter. And why when I am told that Preacher so and so said this terrible thing I read (or watch) the entire sermon. And when I hear a politician or other public figure being quoted on the news and it just doesn’t sound right, I look for the entire speech or conversation the quote came from.
People are quick to take statements out of context. After worship one Sunday I was approached by a member who seemed upset. She asked if she could look at my manuscript, so I handed it to her. She skimmed through it and said, “OMG! You DID say ‘I don’t care if you have a spiritual experience’! I’m leaving and I’m never coming back!”. And truthfully, I did say those words. The rest of that thought was, “. . . but, I do care that you have a worshipful experience. If worship uplifts you, that is wonderful. But your purpose in being here is to worship God.”
We are coming up on national elections in just a couple of months or so. Between now and then we can count on being bombarded with political advertising from both parties mis-quoting or mis-interpreting the words of the other party, and news outlets providing sound bytes intended to stir the pot. I can ignore all of that, or I can do some checking to see what was really being said in the context in which the words were spoken. I can look past the headline, the tweet, or the meme for the rest of the story.
God of Truth, it is so easy to make someone else’s words mean whatever I want them to mean. May I remember always to look for the whole truth instead of relying on a few words to tell the story. Amen
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