When I started to college at John Brown University, it was a “thing” on campus to have a life verse (a Bible verse that guides your life). I had never heard the phrase, “life verse,” and I did not have one. The first time a student asked, “What’s your life verse?” I replied, “What’s a life verse?” I didn’t have one, and I wasn’t sure how to get one. Still, my fellow students continued to ask, so I decided to fight back. I did pick one—“O that you would kiss me with the kisses of your mouth! For your love is better than wine” (Song of Solomon 1:2, RSV). Then, when the next student inquired, I proudly (If irreverently) responded, “Song of Solomon 1:2.” My astonished classmate exclaimed, “Song of Solomon 1:2! What does that say?” I proudly quoted the verse, and she stomped away in a huff. News of that got around, and my classmates stopped asking me.
During my senior year ,the college sponsored a missions conference. Through the providence of God ,I met one of the speakers, Rich Cannon, in the campus coffee shop (my favorite hang-out). He asked me if I had thought about serving as a missionary. In my mind ,male missionaries served as medical doctors or evangelists. I wasn’t good enough at chemistry to become a doctor, and I did not see myself as an evangelist. So, I answered him and said I could not foresee service as a medical or evangelistic missionary. He then asked, “What are you majoring in?” I answered, “education.” He smiled and said, “There are lots of ways to serve as a teacher on the mission field.” That surprised me and I replied, “What are those?” Rich Cannon then patiently explained the varied ways an educator could serve overseas. Then, he said, “Have you ever noticed 2 Timothy 2:2?” I said that I had read it, but I could not recall it. Then, he quoted the verse for me—“And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (NKJV). He asked me, “Why not make that your life verse?”
I truly believe the Lord spoke to me through Rich Cannon that day. I did make 2 Timothy 2:2 my life verse. It has guided me through the 48 years since that day in the coffee shop. I’ve taught at Bible colleges and seminaries overseas and in the USA for more than forty years. The Lord did teach me to “do the work of an evangelist,” and I’ve helped to plant churches; however, my main ministry has been teaching. I’m glad for that because through teaching and mentoring students I can multiply myself through them. As a wise older missionary told me in 1978—”It is better to train ten men to do the work than to do the work of ten men.”
So, dear readers, how about you? Do you have a life verse? If so, what is your life verse? I realize it is old fashioned even to have a life verse, but I’m an old guy now and qualified to be old fashioned. If you don’t have a life verse, perhaps the Lord will give you one. The Apostle Paul testified in Acts 26:19—“Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.”
Romans 10:14-15.
Had a similar experience in college Dave.
Actually, I wrote this post. You can’t blame Dave for it, except that he posted it for me.
Fixed it.
Oh, and our best friend’s kids are at JBU. They love it up there.
My life verse, the very first Bible verse I taught my children and the Bible verse I have all of my young people memorize, is Proverbs 3: 5-6. “5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” I also have a heart song. “Make My Life A Prayer To You” by Keith Green. The first verse is a verse that speaks to the deepest desires of my heart “Make my life a prayer to you, I want to… Read more »
My verse is 1 John 5: 13. I know I have eternal life because of my belef in my Savior.
Life verse:
“We cared so much for you that we were pleased to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us.” 1 Thessalonians 2:8
Ministry verse past 23 years:
“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.” Proverbs 31:8-9
I think I may have done it again – this is Mark’s post and I forgot to change the author to my name. Senility is a booger.
Sorry Mark.
May I suggest Psalm 71:9 as a life verse, “Do not cast me off in the time of old age; Do not forsake me when my strength fails.”
Never did get the life verse thing, but when pressed I always reply with Nehemiah 13:25a.
One sweet day I will get a ministry started based on this half of a verse. 🙂
Doug, thanks for your help. Yes, John Brown University in Siloam Springs, Arkansas, is a wonderful Christian college. Daniel, you share a life verse with my dear wife. She quotes those verses to me almost every week. Dean, I’ll be 70 on my next birthday. Maybe I need to change my verse to yours. Michael your verse sounds like a Monday morning verse.
My life verse is 1 Chronicles 26:18
At Parbar westward, four at the causeway and 2 at Parbar.
Can I get a witness?
Testify
Wasn’t Parbar that Elephant with his own TV show?
I have multiple passages for guiding me in my roles. I have my assurance in Christ passage, husband passage, dad passage, servant passage, leadership passage, etc.
Dave Miller, I recovered from my youthful irreverence, but I see that it still plagues you.
Peter Pan Syndrome
Green costume–I get it.
There are many, but the verse that screamed first and loudest, and now longest, is Proverbs 16:4: “The Lord has prepared everything for His own purpose – even the wicked for the day of disaster”. (HCSB) That describes the biggest possible God, to me.
Judges 3:17 is my life verse. When I worked I’m the library at SBTS, we talked the reference librarian to change the password for the online database to that for a semester. 🙂
I have more life books than verses: Ecclesiastes and Hebrews. Matthew 22, love God, love neighbor; is a ministry life verse, I use it a lot at church with the phrase, “Love God supremely; love others deeply.”
Acts 20:24
Ecclesiastes 10:19.
And Romans 10:14-15
Galatians 6:9
The grass withers and the flowers fall,
but the word of our God endures forever.
Isaiah 40:8
Colossians 3:17…Whatever you do in word or deed do all fro the glory of God (paraphrased).
My salvation: “For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” Col. 1:13-14
For living: “For we are God’s handiwork , created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Eph. 2:10
So many more….
These are great (except for Dave Miller’s). These remind me that the psalmist wrote, “they word is a lamp into my feet.” The verses guide our lives.
Sorry, auto-correct above. It should be “thy word.”
Acts 17:11
“These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.”
And not because I think I’m more noble than those in Thessalonica. Every one of us laymen should search the scriptures daily and not just take someone else’s word for that the scriptures say.
2 Tim. 2:2 is one of my life verses, too. It became a guiding verse when my husband and I had responsibilities to work with young people preparing to serve. I also recognize the strong influence of teachers and mentors who were a “Paul” to me. I am so thankful.
Life verse — > “Rejoice in the Lord Always. Again I say rejoice” Philippians 4:4 Whatever you are doing it shouldn’t be a drudgery.
A similar idea: “Be not be weary in well doing” II Thessalonians 3:13