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WOODEN NICKELS
Sunday morning I was woken early by just two words. Two words that had clearly just been spoken to me.
WOODEN NICKEL
So obscure these words, so seemingly random, that I was awake and thinking about them the moment I heard them, researching their meaning, looking at images of them. After all, although my sleep has been disturbed on many occasions, this was the first time it was because of wooden nickels.
Wooden nickels were most commonly used in the U.S. In the 1930 after the start of the great depression. They were issued because some merchants had difficulty making change because of times of instability. The American adage “Don't take any wooden nickels” is considered a lighthearted reminder to be cautious in ones dealings. While awake, I also glanced at several images of wooden nickels, found nothing profound and fell back asleep.
Upon waking two hours later, those two words were still playing over and over again in my head so after getting a cup of coffee, I set about to find not only the meaning of these two words and the phrase that accompanies them but what their meaning means to me personally. Little by little throughout the day, I gained a better understanding not only of their definition and origin but why I had heard them so clearly spoken to me.
“Don't take any wooden nickles” quite simply means- don't be fooled. So, to me the phrase, born out of two words, was the not so direct answer to something that had been on my mind for quite some time, especially this summer.
All summer long I have been wrestling with the topic of Bible study. I had just spent the last year in a number of group bible studies, as well as reading and journaling on my own. I had even written several books out in their entirety - all in my quest to become bible literate. The problem was that after all of that, I felt no more knowledgeable or discerning than I was when I started. Although there were times last winter where I felt completely immersed in my Bible and extremely close to God. Times like my mom's death and subsequent shunning by my family, that I relied on the Bible for comfort and direction.
For the first time in my life I craved reading the Bible, I chased after knowledge, in the form of charismatic bible study DVD's, pod casts, books, and anything else that would teach me what I needed to know. The problem- I was relying on other peoples interpretations of what I was reading and quite possibly I was taking wooden nickles! I lacked discernment, and lost interest.
Being deceived is a scary thing and as Christians we always have to be on guard. It does not matter how educated we are or how much Bible knowledge we acquire. The fact is, Satan is a liar, the father of lies, he is a professional and he wants each and every one of us. One of Satan’s strategies is to produce counterfeits of the true faith. This could be people or doctrine. A counterfeit is a lie pretending to be the truth and Satan loves a counterfeit. This is the truth that scared me enough to take away my comfort. To make me want to stop reading. To be frightened by my lack of enough knowledge to know if I was being deceived. Even now, this is my greatest hurdle. Being scared of being deceived and lacking trust that the Holy Spirit will guide my ways.
I was listening to everyone else thoughts and to the wisdom of the world but was not understanding the actual WORD enough to discern if everything I was reading was Truth. It terrified me.
This feeling intensified when I read a book, Woman of the Word by Jen Wilkins. In the book, she describes Counterproductive approaches to studying the Bible
and guess what? I was doing every single one of them. I was so troubled that even though I made Bible study a priority, I was doing it all wrong. I was reading devotionally and not intensely and I had lost the mind and the heart to even attempt it. So here I was, Once on fire for the Word, now facing defeat, confusion and sadness. I even had a discussion with a trusted friend on Friday, just causal talk about upcoming options for fall bible study and I felt even more confused after she left. That confusion then turned to worry later that night-and continued the following day. As I laid my head on my pillow last night I had no idea that I would wake up, not with an answer, but an understanding, a direction and a desire to not give up.
God did not choose to whisper encouragement or comforting words. He chose to boldly say, “WOODEN NICKELS” Why? I will never know in this lifetime, but I can guess it is because He knew I did not need comfort or assurance, what I needed was direction and purpose. He knows I am a researcher, a digger of facts and He knew I would search for answers on my own, that I would desire to find out how to make sense of these words and He knew that I would be doing it on my own AND that I would be successful. That I could and I would do it.
Just by boldly placing two words before me, the answers I have been searching for all summer, were answered. How do I study my Bible? How do I discern truth? How can I give sound spiritual explanations? How do I do this with the absolute certainty, with precision? The answer:
I will attempt it first ON MY OWN
I will pray.
Seek wisdom to know what is good.
Seek discernment.
Think it through.
Read and read some more.
Search and listen.
To NOT TAKE ANY WOODEN NICKELS!
I must first read and respond to the Bible, with the Holy Spirit leading me, then I can take what I have learned and use trusted commentaries and trusted friends but until I have tried it on my own, I will never know if someone is trying to hand me a wooden nickle.
All scripture is given of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction, in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work
2 Timothy 3:16-17
