“Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.” Proverbs 12:25
GOOD WORD OF THE DAY: Context
When do you hear this good word most often? I think of the phrase, “That comment was taken out of context.” This thought is mostly used in relation to lifting a selected soundbite from a speech or conversation. (I’m quite sure that several quotes and soundbites from last night’s presidential debate have been taken out of context.)
This word is used often in conversation with my husband when I rattle off a thought without adequately supplying necessary background information for it to make sense to him. He often responds with a pause and a puzzled expression and then says, “A little context please.” I know that I’ve imagined scenes in my head that he doesn’t see, but yet I start talking like he could see inside my brain. A little more information before I spill out all my words would lay the groundwork for a more fruitful and less confusing conversation.
What is context exactly? Here is one definition:
Context: The part or parts of something written or printed, as of Scripture, which precede or follow a text or quoted sentence, or are so intimately associated with it as to throw light upon its meaning.
When I took my first basic news writing course in college, I was taught to ask the basic “5 Ws and the H questions,” Who? What? When? Where? Why? and How? This same type of questioning can apply to understanding and interpreting scripture. I learned much of this method of understanding Biblical context from my husband who is a gifted Bible teacher. In the years that he was my adult Sunday School teacher, when we would begin studying a book of the Bible, he taught us to ask critical questions in order to understand the context of the book. Those questions included: Who wrote the book? When? Who was the original audience for the book? What type of literature is it? Why was this book written? What was its purpose? A basic framework for understanding scripture is to first understand who was the book originally written to. Who were they? Where did they live? What was their culture like?
Look at the verses surrounding the verse you are focusing on. For example, we like the part about Jeremiah 29:11 that says He has plans to give us a hope and a future. You see that printed on coffee cups and posters and quoted in graduation speeches. But who was the audience? Who was this message originally intended for? Did you know that this passage was God talking to the nation of Israel through the prophet Jeremiah during the time the Israelites were living in captivity in Babylon? It was a message of hope for real people going through hard times. The context gives us a much richer understanding of what this passage means.
So why is context a good word and important for your life today? It’s the difference in understanding and being understood. It’s seeing the whole picture instead of just a tiny part. It’s the difference in reading the whole story and not just the headlines. It’s understanding the whole truth instead of just part of it. It’s the difference between sampling a bite of food and enjoying the full meal.
The truth is, understanding context takes time for you to do your research, to read, to listen, to ask the right questions. Why do you think context is important?
“For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives.” Colossians 1:9
“The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.” Proverbs 4:7
SHARE YOUR GOOD WORDS
Good Question(s) of the Week: Have your words every been taken out of context? How did that make you feel?
I have some resources that I think you will find helpful and inspire you to live life better. They are all free on my website. I highlight one or two each week for you. Click below for the link:
Free eBook: Seven Simple Steps to Show People They Are Significant. What does it feel like when you know that you matter? This brief book answers that question and how to make others know why they are important. Download for free on my website on the page: Get the Good Stuff.
“This is a story of hope, and redemption and one of learning that you are precious in the sight of God. My heart was encouraged to know that it’s ok to slow down and take time to notice the people around you. It’s good to give a listening ear to those who need to be heard. Maybe we are the ones needing to be heard and encouraged. We live in such a fast paced culture that we feel guilty when we are not constantly doing something. We are convinced that we need to be busy doing, when in reality, we need to take the time to choose as Mary did, to sit with Jesus and learn of him. It’s in these times that we are empowered to touch the lives of others just as the author in this book has done with her life. You will be encouraged throughout the pages of this book.”
GOOD WORDS I RECOMMEND
A Good Book:Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes: Removing Cultural Blinders to Better Understand the Bible, E. Randolph Richards (Author), Brandon J. O'Brien (Author)
Once a day, I enjoy doing a jigsaw puzzle on my Kindle. If I only saw one puzzle piece without seeing the completed picture first, I would have no idea how it fits in the final design. Context is like that in our conversations, in our relationships and in our Bible study.
My hope and prayer for all of us this week is to take the time to listen, to seek to understand and to do our homework before jumping to conclusions without first seeing the whole picture. As always, I pray for us to have focused vision to see the unseen.
