Sean Dietrich this week wrote about boiled peanuts. His memoir made me smile as I, too, have stopped many times at roadside vendors and bought a bagful to eat while traveling in Alabama! It also reminded of a talk I gave at a retreat in 2001 that I began with a story about peanuts. As I think about some of those things I’ve saved through the years, I transfer them here, to a more easily accessible medium to read and think about in the quiet times that mark my life more and more.
“I confess I have a real fondness for peanuts. They are, for me, one of the ultimate comfort foods, along with chocolate. I grew up in a little town that thrived on the peanut industry. In fact, the first job I ever had was weighing peanut trailers at the local peanut mill. I like peanuts roasted, parched, fried, or boiled- oh, especially boiled! I like them in brittle, chocolate coated, whole from the shell or ground into peanut butter.
So you probably won’t be surprised to learn that a history lesson that stuck with me from grade school was one on Dr. George Washington Carver. Eventhough he didn’t start college until age 30, he was an avid student all his life, especially of all things related to plants. It was Dr. Carver who revolutionized agriculture in the early 1900’s with his method of crop rotation and promotion of the lowly peanut as an alternative crop when the boll weevil nearly decimated King Cotton. You probably remember all of that just like I do. Dr. Carver discovered over 300 products that could be produced from the peanut. He was asked one time how he managed to coax so many uses from the peanut and his reply was “Anything will reveal its secrets to you if you love it enough.”
I am going to talk about growth through study.
A sweet childhood memory I have is that of sitting on the side of my bed as a six-year-old with my mother putting my socks and shoes on me. I was wearing a red plaid dress she’d made with a sash in back and lace on the collar and I was telling her how excited I was about starting school. I’d never gone to kindergarten so this was a new experience for me! And I can remember saying “… and I get to go the next day and the next day and the next day….” My mother must have smiled and thought to herself, “If you only knew the years of education that lie ahead!” My academic career was mostly satisfactory except for the semester I failed organic chemistry at Auburn! When my formal education was over I promised myself I’d never go back to school! Evenso, my enthusiasm for learning has continued. Whatever held my interest at the moment was what I would read about and explore- whether it was child psychology, home decorating, politics, the arts, etc. And when I made a commitment to Christ, Christianity, too, became something I read about. I would listen to Christian radio programs and read contemporary Christian authors. I love stories of how Christ has affected other people’s lives. I gathered a lot of information about what other people thought about Christ and Christianity but I didn’t really grow personally through most of these efforts. Growth suggests a willingness to change and mature and I wasn’t doing much of that.
Real study is a spiritual discipline of faith seeking understanding. It’s a process of exchanging old thought patterns for new, life-giving thought patterns. Growth through study involves our being informed of the truth and being formed in the truth! We study Christ so we can be conformed to Christ!
Study is especially important for us as Christians today. There’s a lot of ignorance about Christianity being exhibited. One false notion is that Christianity is passive, makes no demands on a person, and gives people a satisfied feeling. Barna Research, a national survey organization that tracks religious beliefs and practices reports that while 84% of American adults call themselves Christian, only 38% of those reported reading the Bible weekly. Amazingly, 55% of Christians said they rejected the existence of the Holy Spirit. 35% of Christians say that Christ never had a physical resurrection. 29% of adults have never heard of spiritual gifts. And 58% don’t know who preached the Sermon on the Mount. Barna concludes that “America appears to be drowning in a sea of relativistic, non-Biblical theology. Millions of Americans are comfortable calling themselves “Christian” eventhough their beliefs suggest otherwise. For a majority of Americans- especially born again Christians- to reject the existence of the Holy Spirit, reflects either incredible ignorance of the basic teachings of Christianity, or a pick-and-choose mentality in which people only believe those teachings from the Bible which they like or understand.” He adds that we have “ a people whose Christianity is superficial, compromised, and inconsistent. Perhaps you can say that Americans are religious, but the profile painted by these statistics suggests that most adults cannot be described as informed about the Christian faith they claim. “
For many years my own attempts at Bible study were sporadic and more of a chore than I cared to admit. Although I was reading Christian literature for recreation, I was not really studying for growth. I decided to make study a priority. I started with a daily, Bible-based devotional guide. The one I chose was Dr. Charles Stanley’s In Touch magazine. There are a number of them available from a variety of sources.
It only took about 5-10 minutes in the mornings. As the years passed I grew increasingly consistent with that pattern of Bible study, along with Sunday School lessons and Sunday morning worship. Then one Sunday I was sitting in church listening to a verse by verse study of the book of Romans and I remember thinking to myself “Do I really believe the Bible is God’s authoritative Word?” Although I’d accepted Christ as my Savior some years before I had not fully decided where I stood on the issue of “Biblical authority”, particularly as represented to me by someone else. And I remember thinking, “Okay, God, I’m not sure I completely understand the implication of this, but I’m going to trust You and accept the Bible as your authoritative Word. Lead me into understanding it, not through someone else but as I read it myself, as the Bible promises your Spirit will do.”
That whispered prayer during a church service did not make me an instant Bible authority, but I did gain a sense of confidence in reading God’s Word and more and more often, as I began to take the time to invest in Bible study and meditation, I was led into insights about Scriptures that have meaning for me in my life. For me the way to grow in understanding Scripture was first to decide that I would trust God for that understanding as He sees fit to guide me through His Word. Then for me to commit to spend more time consistently reading His Word. One way that I have come to understand my personal growth is through looking at the scripture in Matthew 7:7- “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you shall find; knock and it will be opened to you.” Those three little verbs, or commands, ASK –SEEK –KNOCK- have come to represent for me a progressive way of growing in my study.
The word “ASK” suggests an inquiring quality without a great investment in the information to be received or without even much prior knowledge about the object of one’s inquiry. Curious, perhaps, but not necessarily motivated by a strong desire to really know.
To “SEEK”, however, suggests a more purposeful search, with some knowledge of the goal to which one is aspiring. It’s more exploratory in nature and has an idea about the value of the item it’s targeted for its search.
The third verb “KNOCK”, is clearly a resounding, repeated intention to have that which is sought opened up to you. It implies a confident awareness of the treasure as near at hand as the door where one stands.
ASK – SEEK- KNOCK- Each word building on the one before in intensity and purposefulness. That is the same way our growth through study should progress and build upon itself.
After several years of my morning devotional with Dr. Stanley, I added Oswald Chamber’s “My Utmost for His Highest”, so I was spending about 20 minutes 4-5 days a week in Bible study and prayer, plus Sunday School and Church. I bought a good concordance and an annotated study Bible and they, along with a Bible dictionary I’d had since high school, greatly improved my study. They lead me to other Scriptures with similar themes so that my understanding grows. In addition to these study aids, another resource I am learning to use is the internet. There are a number of Bible study resource sites available there.
My sense that I am truly growing through study has deepened instead of simply being a recreational reader. I now think of myself as an “explorer”, a true “seeker”, instead of a “tourist”, asking someone else for directions. God’s Word should be the principal focus of your study endeavors. I challenge you to ask yourself “Am I merely asking or am I seeking and knocking in my study of God’s word?” As your time and interests allow, there are other fields of study that you may find helpful in your pursuit of growth. I’ll outline some of them for you briefly.
One is yourself. Know yourself. You are a child of God endowed with special gifts for the purpose of sharing God’s grace. Seek to know your gifts, your spiritual purpose in life, your motives and your needs and weaknesses. Robert Veninga’s book The Gift of Hope: How We Survive our Tragedies is one book that I have read and re-read in recent years. His thoughtful writing on healing the human spirit through the gifts of faith and friendship have spoken to my heart as I’ve struggled with the issues of mid-life transition and putting past mistakes behind me.
Second, study the lives and wisdom of the saints and the writings of masters of the spiritual life. Meditational books like F. Lagard Smith’s Meeting God in Quiet Places and Amazing Grace, The stories of how a number of our popular hymns came to be fall into this category. The writings of Charles Stanley, Max Lucado, Chuck Swindoll, Elizabeth Elliott, C.S. Lewis, Joseph Girzone and others turn up perpetually on Christian best sellers lists and have proven themselves useful to millions of people. A number of spiritual classics are available on line at : The internet Christian Library. You can find things as diverse as the texts of sermons by John Wesley, or Christian allegorical poems like “The Hound of Heaven”, or Christian mystics’ works like “Dark Night of the Soul” by St. John of the Cross.
Third, study the church, it’s history, it’s role in society, and the ever recurring controversies and challenges. This provides perspective and informs you about the workings of your own denomination.
Your own church library probably has books available on your denomination’s history. There is an excellent series called “glimpses” on line at gospelcom.net through the Church History Institute that gives highlights of individuals and events in church history.
Next, is history itself. The study of history keeps us humble by reminding us we are not so unique. It also helps us to see how God is at work over time. And it helps keep us from making the same old mistakes over and over. Books like The Light and the Glory show God’s hand in history. There are also a number of historical biographies at your local Christian bookstore or church library.
Finally, study current events and human issues. God loved this world so much that His own son came and died for it. So we must love and seek to understand our world since God calls us to ministry in the midst of it. Newsletters, periodicals, internet sites, discussion groups – all of these can be helpful in understanding our world. Find areas of interest that appeal to you and become knowledgeable about these areas from a Christian perspective.
At all times keep study in perspective. Study is a means to holiness, not holiness itself. As Ecclesiastes 12:12 says “ Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.” The reason for studying should always be growth and maturing in faith, not acquiring knowledge for it’s own merit.
I had the privilege of serving as secretary on the board of directors of a non-profit Family Service Agency some few years ago. In preparation for a board training session, I sent out questionnaires to all the members requesting autobiographical information on each one, including schools attended and degrees held, to be used to help us get better acquainted with one another. This was largely a business and professional group of men and women and I got back questionnaires with their academic accomplishments noted. One elderly gentleman, however, had a very brief biographical sketch. He and his brother were well respected businessmen in town. They and their families could always be counted on to be right in the middle of any charitable or civic endeavor and were active in their church.
On the section titled “education” he’d written simply: “ continuing education in the school of life!” You know, I think that’s exactly what Jesus wants each of us to have and it’s what he came to teach by example and word. The textbook for that lifelong class is the Bible- which you may have seen described as BASIC INSTRUCTION BEFORE LEAVING EARTH!
Establish Christian study as a priority in your life.
Develop a personal study style that suits you. This includes
- Setting a regular time- Morning, lunch break, or evening, whatever works for your schedule is fine. Becoming consistent is the important thing, even if it’s only 2-3 days a week at first. It’s like exercise, you have to make it a habit that you can live with. Perhaps you could think of it as athletic training for running the race that Paul describes in Hebrews 12:1.
- Also, have a regular place- It needs to be comfortable, quiet, and well lit. A place where you can keep all your study tools.
Keeping a reading journal may enhance your growth experience. Jot down quotes that really strike home or thoughts that result from meditating on a particular passage of Scripture. My own journals over the last nine years have been invaluable in helping me to see how I’ve grown and changed over the years. They also provide a permanent testimony to God’s faithfulness through the trials in my own life. I’ll share with you one example of how God used Scripture, a devotional guide, my daily Bible magazine, meditation, and my own journal to lead me into better understanding of myself. This is from my journal of May 13,1997-
Reflection Upon My Weaknesses:
2 Corinthians 12:7-10 from Charles Stanley:
“… the purpose of our weaknesses, whether they are physical, emotional, spiritual, or vocational, God wants you run to Him. He desires your dependence, because it reminds you of His living care snd sufficiency. The truth is He wants you always to rely on His ability and He lets you have weaknesses so you will be sure to ask.”
The Apostle Paul says, “I will boast of the things that show my weakness…. For the sake of Christ, then I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities; for when I am weak, then I am strong.” God said to Paul: “Zmy grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Paul said,”I will more gladly boast of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
As I prayed to God to reveal to me my weaknesses, I acknowledged that even those things I think of as strengths may be weaknesses in my new life. I asked Him to lead me to understanding of this Scripture and myself.”
“…..I prayed for Him to make me sensitive to his revelation of these weaknesses to me in the days and weeks ahead, an image came to me of ‘SELF-” as if any word to which I could attach this ‘SELF-‘ was a weakness:
Self-control Self -congratulations
Self-discipline Self-elevation
Self-made Self-sufficiency
Self-indulgence Self-esteem (and more)
Is it true, God, that ‘self-‘ continues to be so demanding of its place on the throne of my life that I have trouble surrendering that place to Jesus, its rightful King? Help me first to recognize it, then to surrender it completely to the power of your Holy Spirit.”
When you engage the resources available to you for the purpose of growth through study, you will find that God will often mesh them together like the pieces of a puzzle.
As a last suggestion, find a way of sharing what you are studying through conversation, writing, or living. We learn most when we share it with others. Small group studies and discussions will expand your understanding and also place you in a relationship of accountability for maintaining the discipline of Christian study in your life.
In your enthusiasm for growth through study, remember that the most transforming piece of literature throughout history has been the Bible. Make sure it has the proper place in your study protocol. I encourage you to prayerfully read Psalm 119 as you consider the role the Bible has in your life and I’d like to close with a portion of it.
Psalm 119:10-18, 27