God Does Not Exaggerate
“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God.” 2 Timothy 3:16
Human beings often speak with hyperbole, many times not even recognizing it. When we use hyperbole in disagreements, it tends to escalate the situation. Picture using the following phrases in a disagreement: “You never listen to me,” or “You do this all the time.” In those cases, we don’t mean to be taken literally. There is exaggeration involved. This can happen frequently enough to the point where we rarely take all encompassing statements seriously.
We are missing out on great riches and personal comfort if we don’t take God literally when He uses terms such as all or nothing. He doesn’t carelessly throw around words and phrases. Our Lord does not exaggerate. In fact, we do well to pay special attention to words such as all, nothing, everything, and everyone.
Take to heart these inclusive words that include you: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:23-24). “By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all,” (Hebrews 10:10). What a great blessing that we can take our Lord at His Word!
Holy Spirit, grant me a strong faith to believe every single word you have given us in the Bible. Erase all doubt within me that I am included in God’s plan of salvation. Amen.