Just what does "head-dibs" mean, anyway?

(repost from January 17, 2004, for my friends who lovingly take a few minutes to read my meager postings)

"Head-dibs" includes three ideas:

1) This blog is an online journal, so here will one find a record of some of my thoughts; hence, the "head."

2) The Puritan mindset of being "God saturated" is the goal of my Christian walk. Think of a sponge filled to capacity, every part having fully absorbed that in which the sponge is placed. When squeezed, the fluid comes out. I want to be "God saturated."

3) The definition of "dibs" is seen in the second definition listed just under the title of this page. It is the "honey" of fruit.

Recently I was challenged to evaluate what God's Word means to me. Here is the scenario:

Between the ages of 6 to 10, Jewish boys dedicated their first years of schooling to the memorization of the entire books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. The Rabbi would pass around fresh clay that in which students would imprint their letters (their "paper" was easily erasable by simply mashing it in their hands into a fresh ball). In later times, the clay was replaced with slate on which students would write.

Anyway, the Rabbi would pass out the slate (or clay) and then would write the first word of Genesis (beresit ,or, "in the beginning") and the student would hold this in their hand. The Rabbi then would stand before the class with a jar of honey in his hand, and would take off the top so that the smell of honey would fill the room.

Honey in the older times, was precious, a delicacy, "like gold" and was not used as a condiment as it is today.

He would walk around the room, allowing each student to inhale, then dip his finger in the honey and smear it on the word written on their clay or slate.

The Rabbi would instruct the students to lick the slate clean, then would ask, "How does the Word of God taste?" Each student would respond, "It is sweet! I love the Word of God!"

As each student proceeded though his schooling, he was given a test of his memory . . . not by chapter and verse (those are recent editorial editions), but by context. The Rabbi would quote a passage of text and the student would be required to recite the text before, and after the included text.

Now, understand that they did not sit quietly at their desks waiting to be called upon, but would literally clamor over each other to be the one called on to recite, that he may "taste" the word of God on his tongue again.

I dare you to look up "honey" in a Bible condordance (you may find upwards of 50 or more passages). Think of the sweetness of God's word in every context and you will discover a sweetness you never knew before--afterall, gold is that standard of all that is precious and honey is the standard of sweetness!

One passage of note is "How sweet are Thy words to my taste! Sweeter than honey to my mouth." (Ps. 119:103).

Why don't the wicked look towards rivers of honey? (Job 20:17)

Head-dibs are my thoughts on the Word of God, primarily--the sweet squeezings of my theological processes . . .

So get some on ya!