Build or Borrow

I bought an old Troy Bilt tiller at the scrap metal yard the other day. The engine was locked up but I only paid $50 for it. If I can get it running I can sell it for $500. Harbor Freight has Chinese engines modeled after Honda’s engines that can be purchased for around $100 and I considered buying one.

Instead, I decided to try to rebuild the old engine on my own. Buying a new one would be easier and quicker than rebuilding this old engine but sometimes easier and quicker is not the best way to go. You can buy a new engine for $100 but you can’t put a price on experience and what experience does for you.

Coming to know God’s word is like choosing either to buy or build an engine. There are a lot of short cuts to gaining Bible knowledge. You can read commentaries and periodicals or you can attend Bible classes and listen to preaching to get your Bible knowledge. Those things are easier and quicker than devoting yourself to in depth Bible study. The trouble with taking too many shortcuts is that we sometimes fail to develop our ability to think and analyze. We just borrow the opinions of others and make them our own.

We also ought to always restudy the doctrinal differences we have with denominations and restudy the issues that have divided churches of Christ and challenge our thinking.

I may end up buying that Chinese engine but I’m going to do my best to get this old Briggs and Stratton going first and whether I can or not… I’ll be better for it. Study your Bibles first and then read the opinions of men… you’ll be better for it.