Is it Real?

My children have reached an age where they are very interested in what is real vs. what is pretend. Some distinctions are easy to make. Bert and Ernie from “Sesame Street?” Pretend. Benjamin Franklin? Real. Spongebob Squarepants? Pretend. Their Great-grandparents? Real. Other distinctions aren’t so easy. Laura Ingalls Wilder? Real, but everything in the “Little House” books didn’t necessarily happen exactly the way the books are written. King Arthur? Yes, there most likely was a King Arthur but the exploits of the Knights of the Round Table and Merlin fall under the category of legend.

Then, there is the Bible. Most evenings we read a Bible story before bed. Some things they accept without question. The existence of the main characters – Abraham, Moses, Noah, Jesus, etc. they eagerly believe. They accept miracles. Water into wine? Not a problem. Parting of the Red Sea? How else would the Israelites get across? Some things, however, do cause them to question. Noah living to be 950 years old? Something isn’t quite right there. The world being created in 7 days? How could that happen, Mom?

I admit I don’t have all the answers, or even most of them. When it comes to what is real or not in the Bible, I try to take a lot on faith. Some questions I can answer rather straightforwardly – the world may have been created in 7 days, but God’s time is not our time. One day could have been a billion years. Other questions, I just don’t know. The people in the Hebrew Scriptures seemed to live awfully long times and have children at extremely advanced ages. It might have happened that way or it might not have. The numbers could be symbolic or there may have been a different way of counting years.

The question of what is real or not in the Bible does not have a definitive answer. Some Biblical scholars spend their entire lives searching for solutions. Archeologists scour the Holy Land for clues. Theologians debate the meaning of certain passages and what they mean for our lives and our relationship with God. All of which makes answering the questions of a six and four year old that much harder. Is it real? Well, yes and no.

I don’t want my children to view the Bible as a work of fiction, because it is not. I want Scripture to be important in their lives. At the same time, I don’t want them to get bogged down in the details. I want them to live the message. So, I try to explain that even if things didn’t happen exactly the way things are written in Scripture, especially in the Hebrew Scriptures, the Bible still teaches us how to live. Loving God and neighbor is most important. Trusting God when life is difficult and the situation seems hopeless is a key theme. Following Jesus and doing what he says matters. I want my children to believe in the Resurrection and the gift of eternal life. Even if you strip everything else in the Scriptures away, that message is what remains. Is it Real? I’d bet my life on it.