Digging for Bible Gold

One of my favorite illustrations about studying the Bible came from Barbara Boyd, a legend in InterVarsity circles:

“Imagine you are out for a walk in the mountains. As you walk along you look down and there on the ground is a gold nugget. This would be very exciting and profitable. You would probably pick it up, run home and tell all your friends about it and maybe even cash it in. It would be a very good day indeed.

But now imagine that instead of running off you got out your shovel and began to dig down deeper in the soil. Eventually, due to your hard labor, you found the “mother lode” of gold. THAT would be a much greater thing and an even better day.”

It’s the same for Bible study. Sometimes it’s great to get that “nugget” from the Bible. Those are great days. But when we take the effort to dig down deep we can find the “mother lode” of truth – and that truly is a greater thing! (Luke 6:47-48)