Eat Thy Word
In 1 Corinthians 10, Paul writes, “'So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God,” (v. 31). With the end of the semester rapidly approaching, we have the opportunity to embody this verse as Furman students.
Through the examples of eating and drinking, Paul highlights the all-encompassing nature of his message. Food and drink are necessities; something that is partaken in regardless of one’s faith in Christ. Paul didn’t write, “So whether you give to the poor or care for widows and orphans, do all to the glory of God.” As Christians, are we instructed to do these things—yes. But the opportunity to glorify God isn’t limited to moments of obvious devotion. In many ways, our faith is most evident when it shines through during the everyday tasks all humans encounter.
As we prepare to study for finals and finish the year strong, we should reflect on how we can do this in a way that glorifies God. Finishing well is most tangibly applied through the quality of our work. In Colossians 3, we’re instructed to work heartily for the Lord and not for men (v. 23). So when taking that organic chemistry test or writing an FYW final, we should work towards an end result worthy of our God. However, this approach towards glorification could easily become unhealthy if rooted in a need for perfection. Ultimately, nothing we do will ever be truly worthy of an omnipotent God. While we can, and should, strive for high-quality work, we should not stake the glorification of our Lord on the product of our endeavors. This is how we become discouraged with the lifestyle of “doing all to the glory of God” as described in 1 Corinthians 10.
Instead, reflect on how your words glorify God—specifically through verbal commitments. Beginning in Numbers, there’s an emphasis placed on the sacredness of vows. Numbers 30 states, “If a man vows a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word. He shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth,” (v. 2). The importance of vows is echoed in other verses such as Deuteronomy 23:23, “You shall be careful to do what has passed your lips, for you have voluntarily vowed to the Lord your God what you have promised with your mouth.” Particularly in the Old Testament, vows carried a very different cultural and religious context than they do within our modern society. A broken promise was sufficient cause to lose your life in some communities of the ancient Levant. Despite less drastic consequences in the present, the power of verbal commitment must remain a crucial consideration. Throughout finals season, you’ll be asked to commit yourself in a variety of ways. Whether you promise to help a friend study or set a meeting time with a professor, “let your ‘yes’ mean ‘yes,’ and your ‘no’ mean ‘no,” (Matthew 5:37). Don’t let the craziness of finals allow for carelessness. Faith is most evident in everyday opportunities. Our words and promises are ordinary—as simple as eating and drinking; let’s use them to glorify God.