CHRISTIAN IDIOT – XIII   "PROMISES OF GOD"

There was this young man in a Christian book store. He was not a Christian. I wondered about his interest in this shop and watched him. He picked up a wall hanger. You know the kind of card boards with a ‘bit of a bible verse’ which sounds like a promise of God? It is very popular among ‘religious Christians’! He approached the sales man and asked, “Do you have a card with the same words but without the author’s name at the bottom which says, Hebrews 13:5?” When the shopkeeper asked why he wanted such a card, the boy explained, “I want to give this to my friend and I want this to appear as if I am saying it and not this guy, Mr. Hebrews.” The shopkeeper almost blew his top, and hissed at him, “Hi, These are not words of a lover boy to his girlfriend.” But he quickly gained control of himself and with the serenity of a self-righteous evangelist he spoke to him, “You see young man, these words, ‘I will never fail you nor forsake you.’ are God’s promise to all of us. It says that He is always there for every one of us”

It is quite alright for the non-Christian boy to misunderstand the use of scriptures. How can Christians misuse the scriptures by chopping off a part of a bible verse that sounds consoling and call it, “The promise of God” and forget about the rest of the verse which hold the key to understand that promise of God!

Hebrews 13:5 says, Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have; for He has said, “I will never fail you nor forsake you.”

Please read the verse as a whole. Only those who have learned to dislike money and to be contented with whatever little they have, can claim this promise. God does not promise His companionship and care to those care for prosperity rather than simplicity.

Christians who are well-versed in splitting the bible verses to pick out 'Promises of God' call me “an idiot without analytical understanding of the Holy Scriptures!”