Diet and exercise has only two purposes. 1) Improve heart and overall health. 2) Lose weight.
In the same way, reading the Bible has only two purposes. 1) Teach you about how God is with his people. 2) Guide you to a better way of living.
If you are reading scripture to win arguments, defend a political opinion, appear smarter than other people, or personal pride, then you are reading for the wrong purposes.
Next time you read the Bible, try asking yourself – What does this passage tell me about how God is with his people? What am I learning that would be a better approach to the way that I am living?
Let’s try it with the following passage:
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Grow Up Blog 
Good Morning to you Scott. Thank you for doing this. I look forward to your writings.
Thanks Dane. I appreciate you checking in on the blog. Much love to your family.
Matthew was a tax collector. Though there appear to have been plenty of religious leaders aware of what Jesus was doing, when he called people to be close to him, and selected his messengers (the Apostles) he chose the unlikely candidates. He enjoyed the company of people that we might avoid, or feel uncomfortable around.
The criteria that God uses is often vastly different from what impresses us. Jesus saw something in Matthew’s heart that was so much bigger than his identity as a tax collector.