No more expensive Bibles (for me)

Several months ago I was given an inexpensive hardcover copy of a new translation of the Bible that I've been carrying and using (I've actually fallen in love with the translation, but had not bit the bullet to purchase the more specialized model I wanted) for personal and group Bible reading/study.

Then, the other day as we were about to begin our Connect Group time I was introduced to a young man, we'll call him Joshua for the sake of this post, who had a biblical name. I asked Joshua if he had ever read the stories about his namesake and he indicated he had, but it had been a while.

Later, as we were leaving he asked if I would pray for him because he was going away for a while. As I assured him of my intent to help him carry his burden while away, I realized where he was going he'd have a significant amount of unoccupied time on his hands. With that in mind I encouraged Joshua to re-read the stories in the Bible about the person whose name he shared. He looked at me kind of funny.

In that quiet moment it seemed as if God said to me loud and clear that Joshua did not have a Bible and to offer mine. In repsonse I asked and he hesitated. I wondered if maybe he had some childhood Bible which he found difficult to read or if he no longer knew where one he had before was MIA now. Without another thought, I pulled from the Bible in my hand the scrap pages with notes and annoucement scratched on them and handed to Joshua a very easy to read and accurate translation encouraging him to enjoy it as my gift to him.

Now, I'm pretty certain that if I had already purchased the more specialized model I'd been thinking about getting I would have either found another available Bible for him or perhaps even gone ahead and given him the more specialized copy knowing I could get another. But there was a realization of the barrier that would have existed in my mind if in my hand had been that $50 Bible rather than that inexpensive hardbound copy. It was so amazing to be in a position to not think another thought about it and pull my personal stuff from the one in my hand and present it to him.

So, today I went to a local bookstore and got another copy of the same Bible I gave away. Identical. Funny, I could almost buy 10 of those for what the one specialized version cost. Now this one is poised waiting on a divine appointment to pass it on to someone who needs an easy to read and accurate copy of God's word.

How about you? Are you carrying a copy of God's word you could give away without a second thought... or are you carrying a heavy investment from which you would struggle to climb out?