The Chronicles of Biscuit - "No Picking Favorites!"

The Chronicles of Biscuit - Stories about our youngest son, Tyler, whose nickname is Biscuit.

My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. 

James 2:1

As my husband read the passage of scripture for our family devotional last night, the above verse really captured Biscuit's attention. He said, "That said you can't have a best friend." We told Biscuit that the verse didn't mean that, but apparently he didn't believe us.

I went with Biscuit to tuck him in bed and we had an interesting conversation:

Biscuit: Mom, that verse did say I can't have a best friend.

Me:  No it didn't, but you don't even have a best friend, so what are you worried about?

Biscuit:  Yes I do!

Me: Who is it?

Biscuit: I don't know!!

Poor thing!  He's got so many friends and can't think of just one!  Not really.  What a blessing, Biscuit! Too many friends to choose from :).

I gave him hugs and kisses and we both kind of laughed about his statement :).  He was worn out from swimming at a water park and has to get up really early for a golf tournament. His tiredness and crankiness wasn't going to allow any explanation of the scripture's meaning, so I decided to tackle that misconception another day.

Biscuit does what many in the world do:  He picked out one scripture and used it...not getting the whole meaning of the passage.  To get the total meaning, you would need to read all of James 2 (Click HERE for that chapter.)  For instance, if you only read this passage and don't dig further in scripture, you might believe eating cakes with raisins is wrong:

The Lord said to me, “Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another man and is an adulteress. Love her as the Lord loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes.” 

Hosea 3:1 (NIV)

Sometimes it helps to use another version to get a better understanding of the scriptures.  Read the verse again, paying attention to the very last part:

Then the Lord said to me, “Go again, love a woman who is loved by a lover^[a]and is committing adultery, just like the love of the Lord for the children of Israel, who look to other gods and love the raisin cakes of the pagans.”

Hosea 3:1 (NKJV)

Now read it in another version.  It's a newer version that I really like. It uses common language, but isn't far off from the oldest translations:

Then the Lord told me, “Love your wife again, even though she is loved by others and has committed adultery. Love her as I, the Lord, love the Israelites, even though they have turned to other gods and love to eat raisin cakes.”

Hosea 3:1 (God's Word Translation)

Do you see the difference now?  It was the LOVE of the raisin cakes that was making them like a little "g" god.  The people were putting those yummy raisin cakes before God.  Hmmm.....food as a God?  (Maybe we need to think about that a little more some time!)

Picking and choosing which Scriptures to use and follow isn't right.  It can lead someone down the wrong path. It can keep someone from learning the real Truth found in His Word.  It can lead to lost souls.  

Knowing the scriptures....meditating on them....studying them.....searching them.....that's what God's people must do.  We can't pick parts of scripture like Biscuit tried to do.  We have to  look at God's big picture by reading the whole, complete thought/passage.  We can't pick favorites!