A Light to My Path

Last evening as I was dozing off, I heard just a snippet of a television news story that should have surprised me. Unfortunately, it was not shock that I felt, but disappointment. A couple in Southern Ontario has filed a complaint with the Human Rights Commission against a district school board for allowing Bibles to be distributed to Grade five students. The Gideons have been distributing the small New Testament with Psalms and Proverbs since the 1950’s, I believe. You may have kept this volume as a memorable souvenir of your childhood. Many school boards have stopped the practice and some have asked the parents to sign a consent form prior to the distribution of the New Testament. In my thirteen years as a senior administrator in a school board, I received not one question or complaint about the distribution of the Gideon New Testaments to all grade five students. What has changed? Apparently there is less and less tolerance for any mention of Christianity within our schools. I suspect this is not related to multi-culturalism or indeed the growing diversity of religions in Canada. It is more directly related a move to limit as much as possible the spread of the Word of God.

This line of thinking confuses me. I have accumulated no less than five translations of the Holy Bible and indeed I use them almost daily in the writing of this blog. I have recently replaced my paper back copy of the Amplified Bible with a large print leather bound edition. This beautiful volume rounds out the New International Version, the King James Version, the New King James Version and The Message Bible that I use in my study of the Word of God. Online I also consult from time to time the Revised Standard Version, the New American Standard Version and the English Standard Version. The more I read the Word of God, the more I want to learn what it really means. The wisdom found in any Bible is more than I can find in a lifetime of study. New revelations just keep appearing before my eyes. I cannot fathom the need to discourage any student in our society from reading what can also be termed the greatest piece of literature every published. Any student of literature or history in Western society is required to have a working knowledge of the Bible by even the most atheistic of teachers and professors.

This morning I cannot keep from remembering the words of Psalm 119: 103-106.

103 ¶ How sweet are Your words to my taste, Sweeter than honey to my mouth!

104 Through Your precepts I get understanding; Therefore I hate every false way.

105 ¶ NUN. Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.

106 ¶ I have sworn and confirmed That I will keep Your righteous judgments.

It is the Word of God that gives us understanding and the ability to discern evil. It gives us the truth and only the truth. It is a light that guides the way through life to heaven. No wonder I have confirmed that I will follow the Word of God. The Amplified Bible renders this as “hearing, receiving, loving and obeying” the ordinances of God.

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