Recently a person I know was challenged by a family member to run in a long-distance race. His first response was to purchase an expensive pair of special shoes for runners. He had not run his first step, and he has the nicest shoes on the market for his race.

By contrast, I was out walking at the local high school track, and a lady arrived who was also walking. She was wearing the cheapest flip-flops for shoes as she tried to walk fast around the oval. Flip-flop, flip-flop, flip-flop all the way around. All I could think was how hard that must be on her feet, ankles, and knees. She was walking and had the worst shoes for walking.

I think the goal should be somewhere in the middle. Get decent shoes and start working from there. Walk a lap, then a few, add a few more until you start running. Start with something adequate and work your way up to the nicer tools.

This type of thinking is played out when people come to faith. Some people feel like they need the best app they can purchase, the most expensive Bible software, and an oversized fancy leather Bible while they never read a page. Other people are trying to read an old Gideons King James New Testament with Psalms and Proverbs. There is not a lack of effort on their part, but they struggle to grow because they have inadequate tools.

If you want to grow in your faith, you need a simple free Bible app like the “You Version Bible.” You might also want to get a paper Bible in either ESV or NIV without expensive binding or extensive footnotes. A paper Bible and a Bible app will get you started. All you must do is start using them. Read page by page and book by book until you become fluent in the scriptures. Then you can expand your toolbox.

With a couple of tools in your possession, you are ready to start. So get started and see what God is saying to you today.