taking the Bible literally

I was talking with someone the other day who was very upset that some Christians do not take the Bible "literally."

I asked them if they gave 10% to the Lord.
The answer was no.

I asked them if they thought women should speak in church.
They said yes.

I asked them if they ate shrimp.
They said yes.

I asked them if they thought that slaves should relax and obey their masters.
They said no.

I asked them if they thought that a rebellious son should be put to death.
They said no.

I asked them if we should pray as the Psalmist does that God would kill our enemies.
They said no.

I think the point to be made here isn't the word "literal" but the word respect.  Do you respect the Bible?  Do you honor it?  Do you believe that it points people toward God?
My answer to all of that is yes I respect the Bible, yes I honor it, and yes I believe it points people towards God.

When Christians oversimplify things, they sometimes start to sound very narrow and judgmental.  Their attempts to protect the Bible or God can push away the very people that they might be trying to win.

Last time I checked, God did not need us to defend him or protect him.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.