Perhaps the most famous detective in history is Sherlock Holmes. He, along with his trusty assistant Dr. Watson, solved many complex cases that would otherwise remained a mystery if not for their investigative savvy.
In the famed story The Red-Headed League, Watson tells Sherlock that the evidence surrounding one of their investigations was very mysterious. Sherlock responds to Watson by telling him, “This is a three-pipe problem. Please sit quietly and do not say anything for fifty minutes.” After taking the time to think about evidence for the time it took to smoke his three pipes, Sherlock was ready to solve the mystery.
Some of the mysteries of the life and the Scriptures qualify as “Three-Pipe Problems.” Our problem is that we live in a one-pipe world; never slowing down enough to sufficiently reflect upon the matters that are necessary to solve the questions of life on a deeply foundational level. The result is that we continue to stumble into the same old failures and tendencies that are the root causes to many of our problems to began with.
The Bible does not give us quick answers to difficult problems. We do not hold a ‘Betty Crocker Cookbook’ in our hands. Instead, the Lord gave us heavenly treasures in book form, and just as diligent study yields deeper understanding in every field of knowledge, so disciplined study of the Scriptures will yield wisdom beyond our years. There are no short cuts… no microwave solutions… and no weekend Bible Seminars that can prepare us and lead us beside the still waters of faith.
Let us stop offering one-pipe reflection when we face three-pipe problems. We must take time to pray through the issues, search out the Scriptures, and find the mind of the Lord concerning the solution. Quietness and time are the friends to difficult questions.
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Terry Ivy 