The Rev. Clay Smith: Deep end or shallow end?

I learned to swim in the shallow end. Though my brothers often tried to throw me into the deep end, it is amazing how much fight you can put up when faced with imminent drowning. I'm not sure if, at that young age, they realized there would be more inheritance for them if I were out of the picture or if I was really just that annoying as a little brother.

My mother, of a gentler school, told me to lay flat on top of the water. She would hold me up while I kicked my legs and moved my arms. One day, without me realizing it, she let go. To paraphrase Forrest Gump, "I was swimming!" Soon, the shallow end of the pool was my kingdom. I learned to push myself off from the side and zoom around the pool. But I stayed away from the deep end. I knew I wasn't ready.

Then, one day, my brother, Steve, and my cousin, Bob, seized me without warning and threw me into the deep end. I had no time to prepare, no time to fight. I sank, but then instinct kicked in, and my legs and arms began to move. I broke the surface of the water, laughed at my brother and cousin and swam around the deep end, frightened no more.

When people start to read the Bible, they often want to start in the deep end. They want to know if God really made the world in six days and if Jonah was really swallowed by a fish. They get so busy trying to stay afloat that they miss the story.

This is God's story in the Bible: God made the world, we messed it up, and because of His great love, He has been working to save people from their own destruction. That's the shallow end. You can see this story on page after page in the Bible.

I'm not saying you should avoid the deep end. I am saying, make sure you build some confidence in the shallow end first. Know the basics of the story. Know the character of God. Then, go to the deeper stuff.

Learn some Bible background. It helps to remember the Bible has two parts: the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament is about God's efforts to save a nation called Israel (later cut down to one sub-group, Judah). The New Testament is the story of God sending his son Jesus into the world to die for all the sins ever committed and to bring new life and power to those who believe.

You won't always find simple answers. The universe isn't a simple place, and God is not a simple being. Why does the Bible tell us stories about God's judgment, wiping out whole nations? Dallas Willard once said, "Hell is simply the best God can do for some people." Maybe the same principle applies. Maybe destruction is simply the best God can do for some people. Some things in the Bible are hard to understand. That doesn't mean they aren't true.

It's important not to be arrogant about our own time and culture. We assume our culture's values are the correct ones. The Bible, however, is a book for all peoples, for all times. Some teachings in Scripture may not make any sense to us but were perfectly clear in the time they were written. They may also be clear in a culture halfway around the world that has a different outlook than we do.

Any honest person has to admit there are parts of the Bible they don't understand. I've been studying the Bible as a follower of Jesus and as a pastor for a long time. There are still stories I don't get. I still read some of the laborious laws in the Old Testament and ask, "What is that doing there?" But if the Bible is truly God's book, wouldn't it make sense that I may not understand all of it?

If you've never studied the Bible, start in the shallow end. Read the teachings of Jesus. They will help you, whether you believe or not. Don't be afraid of the deep end; God will let you know when you are ready to tackle some deeper challenges.

The main thing is: Get in the pool. Open your Bible. Read. Let God speak to you. Dive in. There is something in there for you.

The Rev. Dr. Clay Smith is the lead pastor of Alice Drive Baptist Church in Sumter. Email him at claysmith@adbc.org.