Giving the Message
Posted on Aug 29, 2018 by Heather Lewis
I know we have a lot of writers in our congregation, and I think what they do is amazing. Words have so much power in helping us interpret and navigate our lives — they can confuse or make clear the intent of the message. The Bible is a great example, with its many different languages and interpretations of scripture.
Here’s an example from this week’s scripture, Mark 7:15, from the NIV: “Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.” The same scripture in The Message reads: “It’s not what you swallow that pollutes your life; it’s what you vomit — that’s the real pollution.” Wait, what?!
I love The Message by Eugene Peterson — he calls it “the Bible in contemporary language.” It frequently shocks me with its “in your face” everyday language when I’m used to the more formal scriptures, but my guess is that Jesus’ words were pretty shocking in His day!
Jesus was talking about the rituals for washing and eating certain foods, and trying to explain that food goes into your stomach, not your heart. What is important is not what the world wants you to take in, but what you present to the world from your heart. How many of us have said something we wish we could take back? What message are we giving the world with our actions?
One of my favorite quotes is “believe there is good in the world,” and highlighted within that statement is “be the good.” I hope you encounter those who live that message.
Heather Lewis
Director of Music and Worship