“If you are looking for verses in the Bible with which to support slavery, you will find them.
If you are looking for verses with which to abolish slavery, you will find them.
If you are looking for verses with which to oppress women, you will find them.
If you are looking for for verses with which to liberate or honor women, you will find them.
If you are looking for reasons to wage war, you will find them.
If you are looking for reasons to promote peace, you will find them.
If you are looking for an out-dated, irrelevant ancient text, you will find it.
If you are looking for truth, believe me, you will find it.
This is why there are times when the most instructive question to bring to the text is not “what does it say?”, but “what am I looking for?”
I suspect Jesus knew this when he said, “ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened.”
If you want to do violence in this world, you will always find the weapons.
If you want to heal, you will always find the balm.”
― Rachel Held Evans, A Year of Biblical Womanhood

I realize I’m getting into sensitive territory when I talk about the Bible, since so many people have different viewpoints and they tend to be passionate about them. Still I couldn’t pass up this wonderful quote by Rachel Held Evans that I found in a recent Facebook post. The Bible has always been a vital part of my life, but I agree with the author that sometimes we only look for proof of our most deeply held convictions.

Because I’m no different from anybody else, I have to remind myself to look at the Bible — and life itself — from the deepest place in my heart, the place of love, compassion, peace, equality, and healing. And when I can do that I find the Bible becomes truly revelatory and transforming.

I hope the Bible, or whatever sacred text you read and study, is and will be for you as well.