Getting Beyond Trivial Pursuits

A few years ago, I was in the library of a local middle school working as a substitute. As I walked among the bookshelves, I happened to pass by a row of small cubicles set aside for study and spied a student reading a Bugs Bunny comic book. I almost laughed out loud. Here was a young man surrounded by the wisdom of the ages, yet immersed in childish trivia.

Don’t get me wrong. There’s nothing wrong with reading comic books, but some of us never get beyond trivial pursuits. Books, magazines, and other media are the preoccupation and primary influence in our lives. How foolish! We have in our hands the Word of Life — the Book that tells us how to know God and live abundantly (Ecclesiastes 12:13; John 10:10).

The greatest cause for our neglect of the Bible is not a lack of time but a lack of heart. Someone else’s word is taking the place of God’s word. There are many good books and magazines to read, but we must not neglect the mysteries of God’s grace and love that are written on the pages of the Bible. That’s where we find everything we need for “life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3).

Dear reader, let’s ask God to give us a desire for His Word and a hunger to taste His goodness every day (1 Peter 2:2; Acts 17:11).

—Mike Riley, Gospel Snippets

Related Article:

• Trivial Pursuits