Illustration

There is an illustration I have been using to emphasize the need for us to get into the Word for ourselves. It goes like this.  In the diagram below (yeah, I know I am not much of an artist – leave it) the guy on the left is interested in the girl on the right (you can tell it is a girl by the dress...).

Rather than engage in talking to her directly he asks his best friend to spend 30 hours a week with her.  Each week then his friend comes back and report to him for 20 to 30 minutes what he has learned about the girl of his dreams.  The guy on the left cannot ask any questions during the 20 to 30 minutes, if he is really interested he can take some notes, and perhaps discuss what he heard with a small group of friends later in the week…

How is that relationship between the guy on the left and the girl on the right going to work out?  Everyone I have shared this with has responded identically.  He will be the best man at the wedding of his friend and the girl he wanted to get to know.

It is ridiculous for him to think he could get to know her like that.  You probably have made the connection.  There are a number of believers who are approaching their relationship the same way.  They let the pastor or the Sunday school teacher do the study and then listen to what they have learned.  It is a lot like watching a P90X DVD and expecting to get cardio and strength benefit from watching them work out.

It does not work.