280. It’s the maximum number of characters allowed in a Tweet, and even that number is double the original limit. (Prior to 2017 the maximum number was only 140.) Work with me on some light math. The average conversation uses words that are six characters in length. When you include spaces that means you have to make your point in a maximum of 40 words.
The average sound bite in the 1968 presidential election was a whopping 43 seconds, and by the campaign cycle for the 1988 election it was reduced to nine. One candidate complained that if he didn’t keep his remarks under ten seconds the news would not air it. We are about the bottom line, getting down to brass tacks and cutting to the chase. I imagine the grounds most of us would give is, “I’m busy,” when the more accurate answer is, “I’m impatient.”
The closest thing the Bible has to sound bites are Proverbs, but even those are not snappy comments designed to maximize their “tweetability.” The Bible is something to be read regularly and repeatedly. It is intended to be meditated on and even memorized.
Here’s a sub-280-character message, “Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him” (Proverbs 30:5). The Bible is God’s medium for revealing His truth to us and as such is worthy of consistent reading and rereading. Psalm 119:30 says, “The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.” Unfolding describes the experience of discovering His truth by reading and meditating meaningfully on it.
The goal of meditation for the mystic is to empty one’s mind, but the aim of biblical reflection is to fill it up! Referring to the person whose roots run deep and who enjoys prosperity, Psalm 1:2 says, “but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.” In another psalm, the one who is “satisfied” is described in Psalm 63:6, “when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night.”
As to memorization, consider the following verses:
The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice. The law of his God is in his heart; his steps do not slip. (Psalm 37:30–31)
I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. (Psalm 119:11)
God’s word is a shield behind which we take refuge. It is intended to be unfolded that we might gain understanding. We sink our roots deeply into truth when we meditate day and night on His law. We achieve satisfaction when we spend our waking hours thinking about God as He is revealed in Scripture. We are kept from slipping when we have God’s word committed to our heart. And when we store up His truth we avoid sinning.
Regularly, consistently, diligently reading, meditating on and memorizing the word of God is a commitment worth making. God has repeatedly promised that it will pay huge dividends in our lives. Someone once said, “We overestimate what we can accomplish in one year and underestimate what we can achieve in ten years.” Picture a life in ten years in which you are deeply rooted in God’s truth, have gained significant understanding and live a life marked by satisfaction. Even better, imagine a life that is associated with committing fewer sins! If this interests you, then it’s yours to be gained, but not in 280 characters. Make the habits of reading, meditating on and memorizing Scripture a priority and then enjoy the promised rewards.