Reading the Bible...

Luke 24:9-10
9When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. 10It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles.

This is the verse describing what happened after the women went back to the tomb and found it empty.  I have read it over and over again multiple times. Haven't you? You know what it says. Why read it again? Just skim it,  and move on to the meat of the passage.  Right? 

When you read the scripture verses above, did you skim over the names quickly? After all, you've read it a million times;  you know what it says! 

Well,  I skimmed over the names, too. Then,  guess what!  My devotional this morning was about Joanna! Joanna you ask?  Joanna who? How did that get in there?  I need to go check my Bible to make sure this isn't a mistake in my devotional's online Bible! Maybe I need to start reading a hard copy of the Bible again if there are going to be so many mistakes! 

Whoops! After double checking, guess what, Joanna has always been there!  I have ALWAYS skimmed over her! Oh my!  

I learned two valuable lessons today from my devotion.  First, Joanna! She was the wife of one of Herod's house stewards.  She was mentioned in the Bible more than once! Because her husband was in Herod's employ, she probably put herself and her husband at great risk when she became a Christian. Then, she goes to the tomb with the other two Mary's and witnesses the earth shattering truth...Jesus had risen just as He said He would!  Yet, I had never noticed Joanna before. 

Note to self: I thought the AD Chronicles on TV had added Joanna and Chuza as extra characters to embellish the story! You know how TV series are...anything for higher ratings. Well, I need to go back and rewatch that series and check more of the characters. I think I have skimmed the Bible too often and the writers for the AD Chronicles did not!

Concerning Joanna,  I am now wondering how many Joanna's I should have met, talked to, shared time with, but didn't, because I skimmed over the event in my life. 

That brings me to my second lesson from the passage today.  Skimming! Skimming over passages in the Bible; skimming over listening to people talk; skimming over people I run in to! Skimming! I need to stop that!  God, the Master of the Universe, found time for every person (whether they are important in our eyes or not). If they are all important to Him, then I had better start learning to show them how important they are to me, also! I also need to not skim when I read the Bible!  Every word is important, as I learned today! 

Father, starting today,  please help me to see others through your eyes.  Please help me to NOT skim over anyone ever again.