Be Neighborly

(Pro 25:17 KJV)  Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour's house; lest he be weary of thee, and so hate thee.

As I write I am applying this in my own life.  I have decided that the period of time here is three days.  It does not say that.  It simply says don’t stay too long when you are visiting.  I take the principle and apply it in a way that seems logical.  I think there is some chemistry that changes after three days but it is just me.

I offer this as a way of suggesting how to apply scripture.  Much of what we read is the transmission of principles.  Because life is complex it is better to understand the principles than the exact words.  This is an example of the comparison made between the spirit of the Law and the letter of the Law.  If demands that we engage mentally and spiritually with what God is trying to communicate.

So?  Think as you read.  Recognize the letter being delivered but go beyond that to the principles at the core.