A woman at a morning Bible study at my church once commented that believers read too many of the interpretive Christian books that are produced, marketed, sold everywhere these days. She believed that these could lead believers astray from reading the Bible itself. I found some sense in what she said (particularly because some of the books I read were just repetitive and shallow and were like noise going in one ear and out the other -- there were definite exceptions though which helped me understand more of the spiritual walk process.) Therefore, for the past two or three years, I've been focusing on primary text reading. However, I decided to pick up the old classic "True Spirituality" by Francis Schaeffer yesterday, and so far, it's delightful and speaks to what inward spirituality looks like (according to him in how he interprets the Bible).

He talks in the first chapter about the negatives and the positive statements found within the Bible. For example, he quotes a negative found in Galatians 5:15: "But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another." With a parallel positive verse: "For all th law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." And the positives, " But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodenss, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." Both are a consideration in the Christian life.

So far, so good. Inner spirituality produces outward harmony toward others, one in which you love them as yourself. Equals. I definitely need to be reminded of this more.

Reading on ........