Scripture for Today:  II Timothy 3:16-17  “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”

I have a love/hate relationship with buffets.  I enjoy the chance to see my choice before taking it.  I love having variety and control over my portions.  But I feel that to really get my money’s worth I need to stuff myself silly!  Invariably, I leave too full!

My parents would often take my siblings and me to buffets.  I still remember their strict injunctions to stay away from the carbonated drinks!  If left to ourselves, that would be all we would take as we did not have them at home.  The other danger when young was to make straight for the desserts!

Picking and choosing can be carried over to our attitude to God’s Word.  There is a real temptation to avoid those parts that are difficult to understand.  Some sections of the Bible just do not seem to apply.  Other parts speaking of God’s judgement are just too uncomfortable.

Certainly, Thomas Jefferson took the “buffet approach” to God’s Word.  On display at the Smithsonian Museum of American History, one can see his version of the New Testament.  He created it by slicing out the miracles and the texts that presented Jesus as God.

Our verse for today says that all Scripture is inspired by God.  It is not up to me to decide which passages seem credible and which do not.  Although it is less convicting to ignore some verses, all of the Bible is His inspired and powerful Word.  His Word is true and not a buffet.  It is “all or nothing” and I choose “all.”