Psalm 18:30 As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.

Isaiah 21:5 (AMPC) They prepare the table, they spread the rugs, [and having] set the watchers [the revelers take no other precaution], they eat, they drink. Arise, you princes, and oil your shields [for your deadly foe is at the gates]!

2 Samuel 1:21 Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither let there be rain, upon you, nor fields of offerings: for there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, as though he had not been anointed with oil.

Allow me to tie all these scriptures together as they were pointed out to me by the Holy Spirit.

The buckler was a small round leather shield worn on the left wrist. Being leather it required oiling. Neglecting its maintenance causes cracks in your armor. If a warrior is so gifted in the use of his sword, he will cast aside his buckler as if it serves no good purpose.

My bible has a leather binding. Over the years the pages became stained from the oil from my hands. I had so much respect for that bible and how the Lord gifted it to me that I never wrote in it. Then I decided to place a protective cover over my bible to preserve it. It too being made of leather.

These days, I use my computer, the internet and ease of access to study His Word. My hands no longer oil my leather bound bible. It has dried out, cracked, and lays where I placed it, unused. Discarded.

My buckler is cracked and discarded, dried up from lack of use.

At what point in my life did I lose the respect that I once held for the gift?

Can you relate to losing respect?