The Toothpaste Tube

I squeeze my toothpaste tube from near the top. Grasping the tube lower makes it harder to accurately apply the toothpaste. When the supply of toothpaste at the top gets low, I squeeze from the bottom to get more toothpaste into the “reservoir” at the top. This system requires very little effort until the tube approaches empty. That’s when the real technique comes into play.

At first, the forefinger and thumb are enough. I just run them several times from the bottom of the tube up, pushing the toothpaste toward the top. It’s still a little early for the most thorough effort; enough toothpaste remains that some of it will end up being squeezed back down again anyway. Once the amount of toothpaste reaches the point that it will all fit above the squeezing point, though, I get really serious.

I start by placing the tube down on the flat surface of the sink. I place my forefinger at the bottom of the tube so that the back of my finger extends across the tube. I press down while running my finger up the tube, pushing most of the remaining toothpaste with it. I might do this two or three times before picking up my comb. Now I repeat the same process, using the spine of the comb. I make sure I get the edges and corners. By the time I finish, the tube is as flat as can be, and all the toothpaste is in the upper inch or two of the tube.

When the remaining supply dwindles, I have to work what is on the outside edges into the center of the tube. This is when the top of the tube gets folded over to prevent toothpaste from escaping back to the bottom. Squeezing the outside edges creates little triangles that get flattened as the remaining toothpaste moves into the center. The final days’ supply is accessed by pushing the increasingly flattening tube up and almost through the opening, so that all that remains unused is a tiny little bit in the neck of the opening.

Why do I do this? If I remember correctly, a tube of toothpaste costs me $1.97, and a tube lasts for several months. I’m sure I don’t buy more than three of four tubes per year. It isn’t as if toothpaste purchases are breaking my budget. I don’t know if it’s just human nature or if there’s something about a toothpaste tube that impels me to get out every last bit.

As I was working with the tube one day, a thought came to me. Why am I so diligent with a toothpaste tube, but don’t always give the same attention and diligence to the Bible? Just like there are steps in the process of fully harvesting all the toothpaste, so there are steps in receiving the full benefit of the Word of God. Scripture study has parallels to my toothpaste tube efforts.

The initial readings of a passage are like those early weeks of squeezing a new tube. It doesn’t take much thought or effort – just a casual squeeze, and something comes out. A little more effort is needed to keep refilling the reservoir at the top. From a Bible standpoint, this extra effort might include breaking a chapter down into paragraphs or reading the surrounding chapters for context. It may involve taking the time to restate the passage in my own words or create headings and summary statements.

Obviously, even more diligence is required to get what remains near the bottom or is hidden in the corners. For this level, I look at other passages in the Bible that deal with the same topic. I look up the meaning of words I’m not sure of and word roots that might give insight into the passage. Sometimes the most helpful methods for achieving greater profit are simply taking the time for thoughtful consideration, praying for understanding, and returning repeatedly to the same passage.

There is one significant difference between my efforts with the toothpaste tube and the Bible. I can master the toothpaste tube. I can empty it so thoroughly that almost nothing escapes my reach. The Bible, on the other hand, is so deep that I can return time after time, using every method that I know, and there will still be more truth for me to understand. In spite of all that I may learn, there always remains a potential for much more profit. While it is true that I’ll never learn all that is possible from a particular passage, I won’t learn enough if I don’t work diligently to seek out the truth.

I am reminded of a familiar but often slightly misunderstood verse, II Timothy 2:15. “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.” (NASB)

The passage is written to Timothy as a pastor; the context is a warning not to allow himself to become involved in trivial or distracting things that don’t matter. Instead, he is to remain focused on the fundamentals of the Bible and in presenting them correctly. The goal is to be an approved and unashamed worker resulting from an accurate handling of the Bible. The underlying meaning of the phrase “accurately handling,” (KJV “rightly dividing”) is to cut straight. The picture is of a seamstress who would need to cut the fabric straight or a carpenter who would have to cut the boards straight in order to achieve a successful end product.

How is that straight cutting achieved? It is by being diligent. This is the slightly misunderstood part of the verse. The KJV translates the command as “Study.” This conjures up the picture of a student bent over books, studying for a test. It implies mental exercise, often equated with memorizing the Bible. More accurately, the command is to make effort or be earnest. As translated above, it is to “be diligent.” It is to endeavor or labor or work at something. The emphasis is more on the underlying attitude and intent than on the action itself. When a reader comes to the Bible, he is to be serious about it, committed to learning, and working hard to gain the intended profit. Without diligence and serious commitment, it’s hard to “cut straight” the Word of God – and a lot of toothpaste gets left in the tube.