Friday Illustration- Applying a text

This week's illustration comes courtesy of Erik Raymond.

'This past Sunday Alexis (3 and a half years old picture below) was beaming that she had memorized her verse. Upon prompting she exclaimed, “If you love me you will keep my commandments.” Ever since Sunday she has been dropping the verse without prompting, it has been pretty cool to hear her.

However, tonight it became pretty clear that while her Bible memory may be picking up, her hermeneutics could use a little work. While we were finishing up our family devotions in Numbers Alexis asked if she could have some more Ice Cream. To which I said, “No, you have had enough, its almost bed time.” Lexi then, with a smile as big as her face said, “If you love me you will keep my commandments.” And with a soft little depraved twinkle in her eye she stared at me. This forced an impromptu uncovering of the proper interpretation of the verse, complete with the author’s intended meaning, the audience and the need to keep it in context; none of which, mind you, has anything to do with ice cream.

So I bounce the ball back to you, teach your kids the context along with the text, lest they use the text as a pretext for sugar or some other self-indulgent means, not to mention miss the point of the passage. Man, she is the cutest little sinner though…'