“How do you know all this stuff?” Sally demanded and frowned. She pointed to my homework paper marked with a red “A”.

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     “It was in the book,” I answered.Other classmates gathered around. The teacher returned our homework just before the lunch break. Sally saw the “A”, when she handed me my paper.

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     “You smart kids make me sick!”

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     “I didn’t know any of that stuff until I read the chapter the teacher told us to read.” My stomach twisted and the voice in my head said, “don’t make her any angrier.” I wanted to crawl away from her unwanted attention. Other students  walked on eggshells to avoid her bad side.

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             “I’m not smart at all. Look, I’ll show you.”

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     I pulled out the social studies textbook. “For homework, the teacher tells us to read and answer the questions at the end of the chapter. Here’s the homework questions. Look at the first bold print after the chapter title—it answers the first question.”

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     Sally’s mouth gaped open. “Hold on. Are you telling me the answers to all the homework questions are in the book?”

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     I sucked in a deep breath. “Yes, most of them are. Sometimes they ask you what you think about this or that. Whatever you write is the right answer. It’s easy to get an “A” on your homework.”

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     Sally shook her head. “Why didn’t the teacher tell us the answers were in the book? It would’ve made everything easier.”

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     “I don’t know.” I shrugged. “Maybe she did, and we didn’t notice. Or maybe she wanted us to find out for ourselves when we read the book.”

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     Word spread through our class that the answers to the homework were in the book. It was odd. Some students acted like this was cheating, but in reality they did their homework—the secret revealed to academic success. 

 

     The next week, the teacher smiled as she handed back our homework. “You all did a great job this week.”

     Sally waved and showed me the “A” on her paper.

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                                                          * * * *

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     Wouldn’t it be wonderful if there was a book to give you the answers to life’s questions?

There is one book that many people esteem above all others—the Bible. It’s estimated that between five to seven billion copies exist in the world today. While church attendance has declined, Bible sales have increased.

     

Is some of the Bible confusing? Yes. Mysterious? Absolutely. Difficult to interpret? For sure.

I talk to God and ask for his help to understand. He teaches me things I wouldn’t know otherwise.

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     I’ve found freedom on some pages and responsibilities on others. There’s direction and guidance in places and pain mixed with sadness in others. Some parts make me uneasy, unsettled, and angry. Other parts comfort me, bringing hope and joy.

 

     Students who’ve never read the Bible before ask me, “how and where do I start?”

 

     “Go find a child’s Bible story book.”

 

     Some students roll their eyes. “I don’t want anyone to see me reading a kid’s book.”

     

     “That’s easy to fix,” I tell them. “Young ones love being read to, especially at bedtime. You’ll be a hero in the eyes of anyone who sees you reading to children. If you read through the Bible stories, you will know more than half of adults do. After that, pray and read the Gospel of John.”

 

     It’s a simple way to start that gives background and a frame of reference. Is there something in this book for you? The best advice I can give you—pray and read the book.

 

As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, … so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.(Isaiah 55:10—11 NIV)

 

Susan Boltz