Part 1 — You Don’t Read the Bible Neutrally

Recognizing the Lenses We Wear

Most of us don’t realize it, but we rarely come to the Bible with a blank slate.

We come wearing glasses.

Those glasses are shaped by who taught us, where we grew up, the church culture we were formed in, the sermons we heard, the wounds we carry, and the questions we were never allowed to ask. Long before we ever opened the Scriptures for ourselves, someone had already shown us how to read them.

That doesn’t make us dishonest—it makes us human.

But it does mean we must become honest about the lenses we’re using.

Everyone Has a Lens

Some of us were taught to read the Bible primarily as a rulebook.
Others were taught to read it as a system to defend.
Some were taught to read it selectively—highlighting verses that comfort us while avoiding the ones that confront us.

And many of us were taught what to believe long before we were taught how to listen.

Paul warned the church about inherited distortion:

“Watch out for those who create divisions and obstacles contrary to the teaching that you learned.”
— Romans 16:17–18 (CSB)

False teaching isn’t always loud. Sometimes it’s familiar—passed down unquestioned and rarely examined in the light of Scripture and the Spirit.

Neutral Reading Is a Myth

Two people can read the same passage and walk away with very different outcomes—one defensive, the other humbled; one hardened, the other healed.

The difference isn’t intelligence.
It’s posture.

Jesus said people could hear and still not understand. The issue was never access to Scripture—it was how it was received.

The first step toward clarity is humility:
“Lord, I may not be seeing as clearly as I think.”

That prayer changes everything.

Next in Part 2: Who taught you to read this way—and what happens when those voices become filters?

Why Scripture Teaches the Wisdom of Restraint

There’s an old saying often attributed to Mark Twain: “It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one’s mouth and remove all doubt.”

While the quote itself isn’t Scripture, the principle behind it is deeply biblical.

The Bible consistently teaches that wisdom is often proven not by what we say, but by what we refuse to say.

In a culture that rewards hot takes, quick responses, and constant commentary, Scripture calls believers to something countercultural: holy restraint.

Silence Is Often a Sign of Wisdom, Not Weakness

Scripture does not portray silence as ignorance. In fact, it often portrays silence as discernment.

“Even a fool is considered wise when he keeps silent—discerning, when he seals his lips.”

— Proverbs 17:28 (CSB)

This verse doesn’t say silence makes someone wise—it says silence can prevent foolishness from being exposed.

Many people aren’t undone by what they don’t know, but by what they insist on saying anyway.

Words Reveal the Heart—For Better or Worse

Jesus taught that speech is never neutral. Our words expose what lives inside us.

“For the mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart.”

— Matthew 12:34 (CSB)

When we speak too quickly—especially in anger, pride, or insecurity—we often reveal immaturity we could have concealed through restraint.

Silence gives us space to:

Examine our motives

Invite the Holy Spirit to correct us

Decide whether our words will heal or harm

Quick Speech Is a Biblical Warning Sign

The Bible repeatedly warns against being quick to speak.

“The one who gives an answer before he listens—this is foolishness and disgrace for him.”

— Proverbs 18:13 (CSB)

Speaking before understanding doesn’t make us bold—it makes us careless.

James echoes this truth in the New Testament:

“Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger.”

— James 1:19 (CSB)

Notice the order:

Listen

Speak

Respond emotionally

We reverse this order at our own peril.

Silence Protects Us From Sin

The Bible connects unrestrained speech with increased sin.

“When there are many words, sin is unavoidable, but the one who controls his lips is prudent.”

— Proverbs 10:19 (CSB)

The more we talk, the more opportunities we create to:

Exaggerate

Misrepresent

Gossip

Speak in anger

Speak without knowledge

Silence doesn’t guarantee righteousness—but excessive speech almost guarantees regret.

Jesus Himself Chose Silence

Perhaps the most powerful example of restraint is found in Jesus.

When falsely accused, mocked, and threatened, Jesus often said nothing.

“While he was being accused by the chief priests and elders, he didn’t answer.”

— Matthew 27:12 (CSB)

Jesus was not silent because He lacked truth.

He was silent because not every moment calls for explanation.

Sometimes silence is not avoidance—it is authority under control.

Wisdom Knows When Not to Speak

Ecclesiastes reminds us that timing matters as much as truth.

Wisdom isn’t saying everything you know.

Wisdom is knowing what to say, when to say it, and when silence serves God better.

Final Reflection

Remaining quiet doesn’t make you ignorant.

Often, it proves you are disciplined.

The world says, “Say something.”

Scripture says, “Consider whether it needs to be said at all.”

Before speaking, ask:

Does this build up?

Does this reflect Christ?

Does this need to be said by me?

Does this need to be said right now?

Sometimes the most Christlike response is not a rebuttal—but restraint.

“The one who guards his mouth preserves his life; the one who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.”

— Proverbs 13:3 (CSB)

Silence isn’t ignorance.

Uncontrolled speech is.

There’s a universal parenting instinct that echoes across generations: “Stay close.” Parents say it at crowded amusement parks, busy stores, and unfamiliar places. It’s not because we inherently believe our children are bad or that danger lurks around every corner. Rather, we understand a fundamental truth—proximity breeds safety. When we can see our children, when they remain within reach, we believe they’re protected.

This simple parenting principle reveals a profound spiritual truth about our relationship with God.

The Power of Proximity

The Apostle John, writing in his first epistle, uses a powerful word when addressing believers: “remain.” Some translations use “abide.” Both point to the same essential concept—staying close to Jesus. In 1 John 2:28, he writes: “So now, little children, remain in him so that when he appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming.”

Remaining isn’t passive. It’s an active choice to stay near, to keep our eyes fixed on Christ, to let His presence dictate our decisions and direction. Just as children who stay close to their parents navigate safely through crowds, believers who remain in Christ navigate safely through life’s storms.

And make no mistake—storms are certain. You’re either headed into one, in the middle of one, or coming out of one. That’s the reality of life in a broken world. But when we remain focused on Jesus, when we stay where we can “see” Him in everything we do, those storms lose their power to destroy us.

The Family of God

When we remain in Christ, we’re not just staying close to a distant deity—we’re living as part of a family. And families operate differently than country clubs. In a country club, if someone stops showing up, it might go unnoticed. But in a family? When someone falls out of the circle, everyone knows. Someone calls. Someone checks in. Someone cares.

The church—the true, universal body of Christ—is meant to function as a family, not a collection of competing organizations. It shouldn’t matter what building you worship in or what denominational name hangs on the door. If you’re God’s child, you’re part of the family. Location doesn’t cause division in biological families; why should it in the spiritual one?

This family perspective changes everything. When we see someone drifting, our response shouldn’t be judgment but concern and love. After all, families pursue the lost member, not to condemn them, but to bring them safely home.

The Gift of Righteousness

First John 2:29 reminds us: “If you know that he is righteous, you know this as well. Everyone who does what is right has been born of him.”

Here’s the truth many of us forget: our righteousness isn’t earned. It’s given. We didn’t become God’s children because we were good enough, smart enough, or spiritual enough. We became His children because He chose to adopt us, to give us His righteousness as a gift.

Children receive things not because they deserve them, but because they belong to the family. Your righteousness, your standing before God, exists not because of your performance but because of Christ’s finished work on the cross. When we remain in Him, we remember this truth. When we drift, we fall back into the trap of trying to earn what’s already been freely given.

Seeing His Love

In 1 John 3:1, we’re invited to do something transformative: “See what great love the Father has given us, that we should be called God’s children, and we are.”

See what He’s done. Look at it. Focus on it. Remember it.

There’s a powerful photograph of a nine-year-old American boy handing a shoebox gift to a young gypsy boy in Romania. The American child, bundled against the sleet, represents abundance. The Romanian child, holding up pants too big for him, standing in mud, represents desperate poverty. Yet even the American child, despite later losing many comforts when his family’s circumstances changed, still had more than that Romanian child would likely ever know.

This image serves as a stark reminder: even on our worst days, if we know Christ, we have more than we deserve. God didn’t have to love us. He didn’t have to save us. He didn’t have to make us His children. He chose to.

When we remain focused on Jesus, we remember His goodness. We remember that if He never did another thing for us, He’s already done more than we could ever deserve. This perspective transforms complaints into gratitude and entitlement into humility.

Different by Design

The world didn’t know Jesus because He was different. And here’s the reality: “The reason the world does not know us is that it didn’t know him” (1 John 3:1).

You’re supposed to be different. Not obnoxiously so, not self-righteously so, but genuinely so. You’re a square peg in a round world, and that’s exactly as it should be. The things of God seem foolish to those who don’t know Him. Your faith, your hope, your joy in the midst of trials—these things won’t always make sense to the world around you.

But that difference should be marked by love, not judgment. Jesus didn’t condemn the woman caught in adultery; He loved her and then called her to a better life: “Go and sin no more.” When we remain in Christ, we develop His mannerisms, His way of dealing with people. We remember that behavior isn’t identity—that people are created in God’s image, even when they’re covered in the mud of their choices.

Children Now

Perhaps the most powerful truth in this passage is the immediacy of our adoption: “Dear friends, we are God’s children now.”

Not later. Not after you clean up your act. Not after you prove yourself worthy. Now.

Every promise in Scripture is available to you now. God doesn’t want you to wait until heaven to experience His goodness, His provision, His peace. Yes, heaven will be infinitely better—no more pain, no more tears, no more death. But God wants to help you today. He wants you to live in the abundance of being His child right now.

The Invitation

So the question remains: Are you staying close? Can you “see” Jesus in your daily decisions? Are you remaining in Him, or have you drifted to the edges?

If you’ve drifted, the good news is simple: He hasn’t moved. The Father is right where He’s always been, arms open, waiting for you to come close again. Proximity breeds safety. Stay close, stay where you can see Him, and watch how everything changes.

You’re His child now. Live like it.