There are two things we often forget about sin: that it is timeless and that it is optional.
Sadly, in the modern world, we often treat temptation as though it is far more challenging now than it was in the past. While the proliferation of technology indeed makes sin far more readily “accessible” than it may have been for our biblical ancestors, our fallen nature and attraction toward sin is still the same today as it was thousands of years ago.
The Bible reveals that our proclivity toward sin has been a constant since the fruit juice was running down our primordial parents’ faces in Eden. We also often forget (or deny) that sin really is optional. “The devil made me do it” may not be voiced but is often internally believed as the ultimate “get out of hell free card” when we doubt our own ability to choose virtue in moments of temptation. Yet, while the men and women of the Bible can attest to our human frailty, they can also serve as examples of strength when (and here’s the catch) we have the humility and fortitude to call upon the Lord.
In this way (and countless others) Sacred Scripture proves invaluable to our daily faith lives as we learn to navigate and traverse this broken reality en route to eternal life. Given the severity and reality of this topic, why isn’t reading and praying the Bible an essential and immovable part of our daily lives, both personally and within our families and circles of friends? If the timeless truths imparted within the pages of holy writ are indeed that (timeless and true), why do we not crack open God’s book in every free moment?
I would submit it’s not because we don’t need or desire it; it’s because we do not know “how” to read it. This is especially true of the current generation of young Catholics — middle schoolers, high schoolers, even many young adults — who have never really been taken by the hand and walked through the Bible, who have never really connected with its amazing heroes and heroines in a way that spoke truth into their own modern lives.
Most everyone has heard the story of young David, the shepherd boy, armed only with a slingshot to face the giant before him. Few have had someone guide them into the discussion about “giants” we all face in our own lives, how to put their trust in God, and what courage truly requires when they’re seemingly fighting a battle alone.
All have heard of the Blessed Virgin Mary, of course; but oftentimes we deny any comparisons to her because of her Immaculate Conception and freedom from sin. In doing so, however, we miss out on all that Mary’s humanity, though sinless, can teach us about being a disciple and truly following the Lord. These are but two biblical examples from whom we can learn so much.
What about young Josiah, the boy king, who ascends the throne at merely eight years old? What can the modern teen learn from this young man who, at 16, discovered the Word of God, lived out a humble boldness and, in the end, saved an entire generation and nation from demise?
How about Esther, the young queen who possessed such beauty, inside and out, that she, too, saved a nation and a people on the verge of decimation? Or who can forget the kid with the five loaves and two fish? (Well, apparently the Gospel writers can, since none of them caught the lad’s name that day beside the Sea of Galilee.) What are we to take away from this miraculous story that appears in all four of the Gospels (which is an extremely rare occurrence)?
I’ve recently written a new book, Biblical Heroes: Stories of Faith and Courage, in which I take a look at 13 biblical characters including the ones mentioned above. I’ve taken young characters from the Old and New Testaments that I’ve been sharing (and reading) about with my own kids the past 20 years — and with your kids and grandkids across the country over the past 30 — and helped young souls “find their own stories in the Bible’s stories.” I’ve seen for myself how equipping our youth with these stories of heroism can give them the tools to live out their faith in powerful, inspiring ways.
Our young people are inundated with temptation, peer pressure, self-doubt, fear of the future, and stress. They face bullying, gossip, loneliness, depression, anxiety, family challenges, and academic/athletic pressures. Then they flee to their phones for distraction but are targeted by social media, influencers, corporations, and a “higher-minded” culture at every turn.
The Lord wants our youth to be equipped with more than just a smart phone. He wants them to know and love the “heroes” of our faith who can inspire them and even pray for them in heaven.
By passing these stories on to our children, young people will begin to see how their lives and struggles really aren’t that different from those who came before us two to four thousand years ago. More importantly, they will see and learn how God responds in these situations, what the Father desires from and for us, and “how” He thinks about common situations we still find ourselves in.
Of course I’m biased, but I think my book is a great way to share these stories. Biblical Heroes can be utilized individually; as a family; or in classrooms, youth groups, or home school groups. It is even a great aid to parents and teachers who are looking for new ways to hand on and re-echo the faith to the young Church, for the sooner we begin to learn from those who came before us, the better we can strengthen those who come after us. But whether you use my book or solely God’s book… share these incredible stories of faith with the youth in your life. It will inspire you both to see the power that those stories contain.
Photo by Aedrian Salazar on Unsplash
