Last night I was chatting online with a friend whom I had reconnected with on Facebook after not having any contact for roughly seventeen years. We reconnected last April and it has been fantastic both reminiscing and playing catch up. I don’t know how we got on the subject, but last night she was sharing with me how I had given her a Bible that was the first readable one she ever had. She went on to share how meaningful that Bible had become over the years. I had encouraged her to mark it up and highlight it. She was reluctant, but did and did not regret it. Eventually, the Bible was ruined by water damage from a broken pipe and had to be tossed. She was rather heart sick when it got ruined.
I must have given her that Bible over twenty years ago. I had completely forgotten about it. Several weeks ago another person, roughly from that same time period, told me they still had the Bible I had given them. It was their first Bible. I do remember it distinctly. It prompted me to recall several other Bibles I remembered giving away. I don’t want you to think I was just willy-nilly handing out Bibles all over the place, but God tugged at me around certain people and I responded. The gifts where all unique and usually very intentional. Several of them had extreme personal value. I gave my study Bible to one young man when I moved, filled with many notes and memories. I gave another young man the Bible I received when I was confirmed.
I had no idea of the long term value of those gifts in the moment. I just really loved those kids and wanted them to get into God’s Word. I felt a tug or calling specifically around them.
Now some 20 years later I am realizing how significant a gift like that can be. It’s inspired me to take a look around me and consider who needs a Bible. I am going to put some prayer around that and if I feel led to I will be Bible shopping later this week. I will only do this though if I feel compelled around someone specific. I think part of the power of those earlier gifts is that it wasn’t some kind of program. I wasn’t looking for a notch on my discipling belt. I didn’t have any agenda other than a heart-felt expression of love. This needs to not be contrived, but genuine care and love.
I would encourage you to prayefully consider to whom could you give a Bible. Give one of your own that is meaningful to you or splurge and go out and get a really nice beginning study Bible. You don’t have to go crazy though. One of my most used and treasured Bible’s was a paper back, good news version, New Testament handed to me by a stranger on campus as I rushed to class. I still have it somewhere. At one point it was the only Bible I had left because I had given all my others away. It looks like trash, but I still keep it for some reason. I think it is a reminder to me of one of the most faith transformative periods of my life. That is the amazing thing about giving a Bible…It keeps speaking, teaching, comforting, convicting, consoling, uplifting and a host of other “ings” long after you may be out of the picture.
Go bless someone with a Bible as soon as you get a chance. You just have no idea what it may lead to. Peace from the Practical Disciple.
My son had a friend whose life wasn’t the best. This girl was moving to Florida to live with her grandpa, thinking all would be well there. I had gotten to know her very well over the couple of years before she moved. Before she left, I bought her a Bible to take with her. I found various verses on struggling, trials, hope, God’s attributes, etc, and highlighted them before giving it to her. I haven’t heard from her in a long time but I know that if she is in a place where she needs encouragement and turns to this Bible, God will lead her to the right highlighted verse.
One of the beautiful things about giving a Bible to someone is how sometimes God speaks through to them at just the right time, often times many years later and long after your personal connection is gone. Keep up the good and faithful work Laurie.