Gobstopper Bible — Plucking and Planting

This past week, I decided to bring little Archie along with me to Everett's scout meeting. Everett loves the opportunity to show off his little brother and Archie loves the opportunity to laugh at the way the "big kids" joke around. Thanks to the wonder of toddler tablets, yes I know that I am parent of the year, Archie was able to focus much of his attention on Thomas the Tank Engine games and coloring apps. The troop had a township official come and talk to the kids about local government, they reviewed some of the information they had learned the week before and played some pretty fun games all in the hour that they have together. If you asked Everett what he thought was the highlight of the night, he would undoubtedly say that it was getting his reward from their game the week before. Everett was able to pick his prize first because he was the first to be able to answer a question about last weeks information and as he went to the prize bag to pick through the shiny, colorful boxes of candy, his hand came out with and oldie but a goody; The beloved Gobstoppers. Gobstoppers are great because they have all of the deliciousness of a jawbreaker with a tenth of the commitment. Gobstoppers, for those who have been living under a rock, are delicious little candies from the wonderful world of Willy Wonka. These pea sized, rock hard, colorful confections require one to leave them in their mouth for some time. As you suck on the candy, the color of it begins to change. You go through all of the colors of the rainbow in about a 15 minute time span.

Archie, who has a tendency to love anything that is colorful and candy like, was begging Everett to share this goodness with him as well. Everett, who isn't one to forget his little brother, was kind enough to share. I had a quick instructional session with Archie about the way to enjoy this delicious candy but, as you may have guessed, it may have been the excitement or the rush of sugar to the brain and Archie forgot. I next heard several loud cracks as Archie was testing the limits of his young teeth. I was already thinking to myself, "what could possibly be my reasoning for allowing the boy to have this candy" and "I had no idea it would cause him to break his teeth". In a minute or two, Archie had already finished his first candy and was begging for more. I thought maybe this time, as I led him through the proper way to enjoy the beloved Gobstopper, something would catch. It did not. Archie again chomped his way through another Gobstopper. In the meantime, Everett was savoring each one, pulling the treat out of his mouth every minute or so to see if it had once again changed to a new surprising color.

A couple of nights ago, I woke in the middle of the night after having dreamed about this event and I had a minor revelation. What I had witnessed between Everett and Archie, was a bit of a glimpse into the way that people can experience and process many different things. When we walk down the sidewalk we either do so just to get somewhere, or to take in the sights and sounds of the city. When we jog in the morning, we either do so for the sole purpose of exercise, or as a way to find centering and unity with all of creation before starting our day. What I ultimately landed on and was the most immediately obvious to me was the concept of the Gobstopper bible.

I have been Archie in the Gobstopper bible scenario. I was young and excited to learn more, to take in as much information as possible. I wanted to strive for quantity, remembering the most bible verses, having the most obscure characters of scripture memorized, chomping down as much information as my mind could hold. The problem is, that for many people who are processing scripture in this way, they miss the colorful rainbow of this collection of books that we call the bible. I think of the way that Everett was enjoying each Gobstopper, one at a time. He would pause and look at the color of the Gobstopper before he placed it in his mouth. He savored the flavor and texture of the candy, and would look on in wonder when that candy once again changed color and size.

What if we all read and enjoyed scripture the way that Everett enjoyed the Gobstopper? Well, like anyone who enjoys preaching, I have three quick take aways from my reflection on the topic.

1) We would develop a greater sense of gratitude for scripture. It is difficult when you are going through a reading plan that gives a set number of chapters to read from a set collection of books everyday. If you are at all like me, you may tend to be pushing through, chomping even, at every word trying to consume it in the small amount of time that you had allotted. Reading with gratitude means taking your time, not worrying if you only get through a few verses before you just have to stop and reflect on what you just read. Some of the best bible studies I have ever been a part of took us forever to get through. We weren't rushed to get done and through before the next quarter of classes began. We took our time. I gleaned more from those in depth and intensive studies than I ever would have imagined.

2)We would be more likely to notice and enjoy the nuance of scripture. Just like Everett, enjoying the size, color, taste and texture of that candy, we should be able to appreciate all of the history, writing types, authors and more that encompass any particular biblical writing. If we would take the time to study and appreciate the setting, the characters and the circumstances that we are entering into when we open the Bible, it would leave the two dimensional surface that we stare at and cause our minds to paint vivid pictures of the characters and events appearing before us. We can appreciate a biblical poem as a poem, a gospel account as one of the four tellings of the life and ministry of Jesus, and a letter to a friend or community as the one sided address that it is. We won't be able to nail any given passage down to one full understanding that full grasps what the original author had intended but there will be so many more layers of understanding. There is nothing static or dead about scripture unless we are the ones who make it so.

3) We would be less likely to choke. My biggest fear when I decided to let 2 year old Archie have that Gobstopper was that he may choke. I stayed within a foot or two of him at all times, replaying all that I had learned from First Aid classes. When you are recklessly chomping through candy it is quite easy for the candy to become lodged in your throat. In the same way, I believe that a reckless reading of scripture that isn't taking the time to slow down and appreciate nuance, is dangerous in the wrong hands. Many people are choking on unloving, one dimensional readings of God's living and breathing word. Even those who peddle this reading of scripture are they themselves choking on a lifeless reading of a glorified rule book.

I hope that whoever is still reading at this point can come to realize that it is about so much more than that. If there is one understanding that settles it for all time than why does our theology change so much through time? If it is purely a history book than why does the history within not even agree with itself? Why are there multiple accounts of the same event that contradict each other? I guess you could hear those things and just throw up your hands and say, "well then this book is not for me", or you can decide that you too will wrestle with the beauty of its pages. Maybe you won't read as much or understand as much as you had hoped for but I believe that what you do decide to wrestle with will be transformational. Don't begin your reading of scripture hoping to understand God. Instead, begin your reading with the hope of communion with God.

Everett has taken a couple of weeks with that same box of candy. Every time he takes it off the shelf and enjoys a couple pieces of that tiny candy goodness, it is a real event. I notice now when he shares it with his brother or sisters that he gives them some direction in the way to really enjoy what Willy Wonka has to offer. As they say, "I think that'll preach".