A Story

A synagogue needed a new Torah scroll. The best scribe who could be found was commissioned to do the work. The synagogue board got together and decided to hold a contest for a torah scroll cover. The best cover would be displayed on the scroll when the scroll was completed and ready to be used for the first time. The other entries would be used throughout the year. Many scroll covers were submitted. The winning entry had an beautifully embroidered picture of Jerusalem. Gold, silver, copper, red, blue, crimson, white and purple were skillfully used. When it came time to put the cover on the scroll, a slight problem came up. The cover was too small. Oy! Now what. The board said, unfortunately, we can't use it. The woman who made the cover was not about to see her hard work be for naught. Can't we just cut the Torah to make it fit the cover?

This story is fictional and we're not told what happened later. But it serves to illustrate a point.

I believe that many would react with horror at the woman's suggestion. Cut the Torah?! A curse on anyone who would do such a thing. But, I submit that we do this already. We like our lives and worldview. God's Word does not always fit with what we would like to do. So, we cut it out. It doesn't apply. That was for a different people at a different time in a different place. We fool ourselves into thinking that we're ok because we love Jesus or because we follow the 10 commandments or because we treat others as we would like to be treated. I do not say that any of these are wrong and should not be done. I say that they are not enough by themselves.

It's a great thing to love your neighbor as yourself. But if you neglect God by turning to idols, where is your love for God? If you say you love Jesus but don't follow his commands to love one another, then how can you say you really love Jesus? If you observe the 10 Commandments and say the other 603 don't matter, what does that say about your attitude toward God's holy, righteous and wonderful law? Be careful about cutting the Torah down to size to fit your lifestyle. It is better by far to conform your life to God's Word.