BIBLICAL MIRRORS

"Biblical characters are not models for behavior, but mirrors for self-reflection." - Dr. Tim Mackie

This really ought to be obvious but, if you're like me, you often read Bible stories with the assumption that everything the central characters do must be aligned with God's will and, thus, instructive for our own behavior.

Is it just lazy - or wishful - thinking? Is it because we assume righteousness is an all-or-nothing proposition? Do we suppose a happily-ever-after template kicks into place as soon as you "ask Jesus into your heart"? 

If we do, that's not coming from the Bible. The biblical characters are not portrayed as having their acts together 100%. We are NOT supposed to mimic everything they do because not everything they do is guaranteed virtuous.  

There's Noah, rescued from the flood because he was "righteous in his generation". And as soon as he's off the boat, what does he do? He plants a vineyard, harvests grapes, makes wine, and gets drunk and naked.

There's Abraham and Sarah conspiring together to use Sarah's servant for sexual purposes, thinking that might be necessary to move God's promise of descendants along.

There's Lot offering his own daughters to the men of Sodom if only the men will leave the visiting angels alone.

There's David who is called a "man after God's own heart". He commits adultery, gets the woman pregnant and then has her husband killed.

And even in the New Testament, you find Peter being two-faced about mixing with Gentiles in front of his Jewish friends. 

Not to mention all the crazy stuff going on in the various churches which Paul planted. 

Being a believer means you are moving toward holiness, but it doesn't guarantee there won't detours along the way.

We need to keep this in mind for our own sake as well as for the sake of our brothers and sisters in Christ. 

And we definitely need to remember this when reading our Bibles.