Kim Peek
was a savant (a person with extraordinary memory) who memorized all of
Shakespeare’s plays. During a performance of Twelfth Night, Peek noticed
that the actor had skipped a word from one of the lines. Peek suddenly stood up
and shouted, “Stop!” The actor apologized and said he didn’t think anyone would
mind. Peek replied, “Shakespeare would.”
Words
matter. But especially when they are the very words of God. Moses warned
Israel, “You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it,
that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God” (Deut. 4:2). Moses
often reminded Israel of God’s mercy and faithfulness to them in the past. But
he also stressed the importance of obedience to God’s commands as they prepared
to enter the Promised Land. He told them that obedience would result in
blessings of life and a rich inheritance (vv.39-40). Every command and
regulation mattered to God. The value His people placed on God’s Word showed
their view of Him.
Today, when we value God’s Word, handle it with great care, and obey what it says, we give God the reverence He truly deserves.
