Context Matters

Yesterday, as my parents and I traveled to and from my nephew’s basketball game in Apex, we listened to the Broadway station on satellite radio. Some of the songs were familiar. Most of the songs were not. Some of the songs made sense. Most of the songs did not. Out of context, even the most celebrated songs can be misinterpreted and misjudged.

Context is important. Overarching storyline matters. When we hear only part of a conversation but have no idea its context, we often misinterpret the words and read into them our own version of reality. When we read only parts of scripture but have no idea of the larger narrative, we often misinterpret the words and read into them our own version of truth.

One summer, while working at camp, I heard only part of a conversation. I heard that I needed to buy twelve and a half dozen eggs but had no idea what I was buying them for. Even after questioning the amount, I still blindly went to the store and bought twelve and a half dozen eggs. Come to find out, we only needed 18 eggs for an egg dropping competition. 132 extra eggs went to waste…because I didn’t understand the context of the part of the larger conversation I had heard.

Thankfully, buying too many eggs didn’t damage someone’s reputation. But hearing things out of context most certainly can. Thankfully, buying too many eggs didn’t lead to scriptural abuse. But reading scripture out of context, most certainly can.

May we be a people who do not settle for bits and pieces of muddy information but who seek the entire picture of contextual truth. It may take a bit of time to put things into context, but that time is well worth the effort when it leads to clear understanding of what is being seen and heard.

Oh God: Help us. Amen. And Amen.