Let the Text Speak

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." - Psalm 119:105
 
One of the greatest gifts God has given us is His Word. But that gift can easily be misused when we approach Scripture with our own assumptions instead of letting the text speak for itself.
 
It is tempting to read modern issues and debates into ancient words. We take a verse like John 14:6, where Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life,” and we attach it to questions that were not even on the radar in Jesus’ time. But when we do that, we risk missing the heart of what Jesus was really saying.
 
In Jesus’ world, the focus was not about who had the right beliefs or which religious group was superior. It was about living in a way that reflected God’s love, service, healing, and hope. When Jesus said He was the way, He was pointing to the kind of life that brings people close to God, a life marked by radical love and sacrifice.
 
The same mistake happens when people use verses to restrict or control others without understanding the cultural and historical context. Ideas like women should not lead or speak in church or that certain outward appearances define holiness come from reading assumptions into the text rather than pulling meaning out of it.
 
The key is learning to approach Scripture with humility. Ask God to help you hear what He is really saying, not just what you want to find. Slow down. Listen carefully. Let the Word shape you, not the other way around.
 
When we allow Scripture to speak on its own terms, we create space for God to show us something new. We open ourselves to truth that challenges, corrects, and transforms us.
 
I want to challenge you as you read your Bible to resist the urge to read your own ideas into it. Simply take a walk through the Word. Let the text do the talking. You will be amazed at what God reveals when you listen with an open heart.