I was mailing a book to a friend, and the postal clerk asked me, “Is there anything inside the package that is liquid, fragile, perishable, or potentially hazardous?” I thought for a moment and replied, “Only if they read it.”

As dangerous as I think firearms are, there is more danger in books. They give you ideas, makes you think, and can even change your life. Think about the dangerous notions in the Bible. Love your neighbor as yourself. Love your enemies. Give justice to the weak and the orphan.  Maintain the rights of the lowly and the destitute.  Rescue the weak and the needy.

No wonder the early persecutors of Christians did everything they could to destroy copies of the Scriptures. Even today there are many places that ban Bibles.

Sadly, I don’t think book burnings or bannings are the greatest threat to the Scriptures. The problem is neglect. Many years ago I heard the story about pastor who visited a family and asked of he could borrow a Bible to read them a section as a devotions. Mom and Dad hunted for the family Bible, found it, dusted it off and handed it to the pastor. When he open the Bible, a pair of glasses fell out. Mom cried out, “I lost those glasses eight years ago. I wondered where they went!”

So, ready for some danger this Lent? Try reading through the book of Matthew. Chapters 5-7 (The Sermon on the Mount) are full of wild ideas like “Blessed are the peacemakers.”  Ready to risk a read?

Read Matthew 5:2-12  and remember: God loves YOU unconditionally.

Wayne