News From Terre Haute, Indiana

Religion

March 9, 2013

The Joy Lady: ‘In the beginning’ there is a plot, morals and relevance

TERRE HAUTE — I’m a bibliophile — a book lover. Biographies. Historical fiction. Mysteries. Suspense. Chick lit. Classics. I am as crazy for Jane Austen as I am for Janet Evanovich. Charles Dickens and Nathaniel Hawthorne thrill me as much as John Grisham and James Patterson. And “Tinker, Tailer, Soldier, Spy” has nothing on “The Scarlet Pimpernel.”

My high school English literature teacher told us a classic book (or story or song or folk tale) is a story that contains a moral lesson and a plot that is relatable and relevant for all generations for all time.

Could talking animals ever be involved in a classic story? Well, what if the talking animals know that their owners are fools? What if those talkative beasts are far more intelligent than the humans in their lives? That premise is found in George Orwell’s “Animal Farm.” But what about the classic story of the talking mule who talked back to his mulish owner? One of the strangest incidents in the Bible is found in Numbers 22:29. It’s where the donkey with two legs yells at the donkey with four legs: “You have made a fool of me!” Talk about a talking donkey!

One of my favorite classics is “Silas Marner.” It’s a story about money and what happens when people crave more money than they have. Silas is destroyed by his loss of money. Silas’ neighbors, the richest people for miles around, love money so much they commit mayhem and murder. They are deceptive, misuse drugs and alcohol, all while trying to gain even more money. Meanwhile, Silas’ gold is replaced by a golden-haired abandoned baby, and by raising her, Silas learns about the value of true gold, while the lovers of money lead desperate and depressing lives. The apostle Paul, in 1 Timothy 6:9-10, gave a classic warning that the events in Silas Marner could happen to us all. “People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”

Remember that classic story about a young woman who became pregnant by a powerful and popular religious leader? She and her child were ridiculed, mistreated, and avoided by the townsfolk. The young girl was continually punished while the religious leader and father of her illegitimate child became even more popular and powerful. Was that the classic story of Hester Prynne in “The Scarlet Letter”? Or was it the classic story of Hagar in Genesis?

If you are looking for a classic story that has a moral lesson and a plot that is relatable and relevant for all generations for all time, you need look no further than the book that begins with, “In the beginning” and ends with, “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.”

It’s surprising the number of classic stories in the Bible.



Verna Davis, speaker and writer, maybe reached at vrdspeaks@yahoo.com.

Text Only | Photo Reprints
Religion
Latest News
Community Calendar
Loading…
Events by eviesays.com
TribStar.com Poll
AP Video
Hoffa Mystery Still Fascinates After 4 Decades Raw: NASCAR Driver Jason Leffler Dies in Wreck Ex-NFL Star Chad Johnson Out of Jail 3 Charged in Ohio With Enslaving Mom, Daughter Raw: Huge Fire Near Yosemite National Park Tiger on Sergio: 'It's Time to Move On' Raw: 1 Dead in Shooting at Mo. Apartment Complex Raw: Marines Land Osprey on Japanese Ship Failed Cuba-to-Florida Swimmer Won't Try Again Raw: Obama Arrives in Berlin Pa. Girl Who Took on Donor Rules Gets Lungs Raw: Volcano Erupts Near Mexico City Prosecutors Push for Smartphone "Kill Switch" Raw: Australian Begins Cuba to Florida Swim Unusual Heat Wave Bakes Alaska Google Launches Internet-beaming Balloons Obama Welcomes WNBA Champions to White House Obama Seeks G-8 Support on Syria RAW: NSA Director Says 50 Plots Foiled Civil Rights Groups Sue NYPD Over Muslim Spying
NDN Video
Inside Kim Kardashian's Premature Labor Miami Heat Wins in Overtime Three Charged for Enslaving Mother and Daughter Raw: Huge Fire Near Yosemite National Park Spurs' Popovich has no problem with Spurs' intensity RAW: NSA Director Says 50 Plots Foiled Paige Butcher Scorches on Hawaii Beach Video: worst way to load cargo onto a plane Never-before-seen footage of '08 Times Square bomber Obama: NSA Secret Data Gathering 'Transparent' WATCH IT: Lil Wayne tramples American flag Mariah Carey Looks Beautiful in a Tiny Cut-Out Swimsuit Out of Control Boat Throws Passengers Overboard See Lindsay Lohan in Rehab Sofia Vergara Posts Perky Backside Pic in Thong Gaga Ditches Her Crazy Couture Caught on Tape: Teacher Accused of Beating Autistic Child "Stay Classy" Campaign Aims to Curb Binge Drinking Sesame Street Tackling Tough Topic Parents in Jail Miss Utah Fumbles Interview Question
Parade
Magazine

Click HERE to read all your Parade favorites including Hollywood Wire, Celebrity interviews and photo galleries, Food recipes and cooking tips, Games and lots more.
  • -

     

    March 12, 2010

activity
Real Estate News