A SPIRITUAL PLUMB LINE
Suppose we’re building a wall, and need to see if the studs are straight. We rummage through the tool box and pull out a plumb line—which is a weight attached to a string. We hold the plumb line next to the wall, the bob drops, and we discover the wall is crooked. What do we do? We adjust the wall to match the plumb line, and make it straight. We don’t change the plumb line and adjust it to the wall.
I possess a 2,000-year-old plumb bob, which is pictured above. I purchased it at an antiquities shop in Israel. I know it’s authentic because the nice man who sold it to me told me so. (Actually it came with a certificate of authenticity from the Israeli government.) Although it looks a bit different from modern ones, the concept is precisely the same. The 2,000-year-old plumb bob works just as well as it did in Bible times.
God has given us a spiritual plumb line as well. It’s called “The Bible.” John 17:17 states, “Your word is truth.” We don’t need to wander aimlessly through life, wondering how to define right and wrong. I simply “suspend” the Bible alongside my life and adjust my lifestyle accordingly. I don’t adjust the Bible to fit my choices. When the Bible states that God will increase our wealth, if we give one-tenth of our income to him (Malachi 3:10), we can be certain it’s true. When he tells us to maintain sexual purity (Hebrews 13:4), we adjust our lives to it. When Jesus promises that he will be with us always (Matthew 28:20), we know he isn’t lying.
Like my 2,000-year-old plumb bob, truth doesn’t change over time. What was true 2,000 years ago is still true today. It doesn’t matter where you live, your intelligence, your age, or the color of your skin. The Bible has stood the test of time, consistently defining right and wrong in every culture for thousands of years.
We might not like it. We might wish it wasn’t true. We might scream and throw a fit. But that doesn’t change the truth. Just like building a wall, the plumb line doesn’t lie. You can trust the plumb line. As millions have discovered through the years, you can build your life on the Word of God. You won’t be sorry.
UPDATE ON LINDA: After a rough start at the beginning of the week, Linda has been growing a little stronger each day. Please pray for this trend to continue.
Principle: We can trust the Bible as our spiritual plumb line.
Ponder:
When have you found God’s word to be an accurate plumb line?
In what areas of your life do you need to make some adjustments to line up with our spiritual plumb line?
Pursue: For a deeper dive, study Psalm 119.
Prayer: Dear God, thank you that I don’t have to wander aimlessly through life, trying to figure out what’s right and wrong by trial and error. I praise you for your word which is a perfect plumb line.
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