Sound Bites
We live in an era of very short attention spans. At least that’s true in North America where I live. In-depth explanation of anything is unlikely to be read or listened to. If the message can’t be reduced to a sound bite, little attention will be paid to it by many.
There’s a time and place for in-depth explanation of our God’s will, His character, His plan and how He’s going about accomplishing it, and our place in it. The full message from our Creator is important, in fact vital.
And there’s also a time and place for short, direct and easily remembered expressions of key ideas. What we might call scriptural sound bites. These aren’t in place of deeper explanation—they’re short reminders that help us keep the bigger picture in mind. They resonate with us, they stick in our minds.
In the examples below, they do even more. They speak for us, they give voice to what’s in our heart. When we read these, we instantly know exactly what’s being talked about—and we feel it too, because we’ve been there, or we’re there right now.
Hallelujah! (Many places, mainly in the Psalms, such as 104:35) This is the Hebrew expression usually translated, “Praise the Lord!” It carries, in one word, the response of the heart to the goodness and greatness of God.
How long? (Psalm 74:10, Revelation 6:10 & others) In two words, our yearning for God to act, to establish justice and righteousness, in place of the present mortal corruption and unrighteousness.
I believe; help my unbelief! (Mark 9:24) Recognizing our faith isn’t all it should be, and realizing our need to go to the source for help.
Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? (Romans 7:24) Lamenting our weakness and proneness to sin. (And then relieved, as the answer is given in the next words: “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!”)
Please send someone else. (Exodus 4:13) Who hasn’t felt this way, as Moses did, when a daunting job is before us? But then…
Here I am! Send me. (Isaiah 6:8) When we realize the Lord is asking, “Whom shall I send?” and even though we feel inadequate, we step up.
What is man that you are mindful of him? (Psalm 8:4) Accurately grasping just how small we are within the vastness of the Creation, in utter awe that God cares for and pays attention to us.
I know he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day. (John 11:24) The ultimate comfort when someone we love has died in faith.
How can we know the way? (John 14:5) Jesus shows us, but we admit there’s so much that remains beyond our grasp.
Come, Lord Jesus! (Revelation 22:20) Our urgent plea, knowing he has promised to come, longing that it might be now.
Others may occur to you. Each of these carries an emotional weight, beyond just understanding the words. They capture the state of our heart at a particular moment. Unlike the sound bites in the world around us, these are lasting. They matter.
When you start looking for them, you find scriptural sound bites sprinkled all through the Bible. This is true, I think, because God “knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.” (Another one! Psalm 103:14) He understands our limitations, knows that sometimes, perhaps a lot of the time, our attention span is short. So He gives us something short. Not as a replacement for depth, but as a handle, to help us hold onto the full picture.
Love, Paul