Stories You Didn't Hear in Sunday School

I'm not a sissy. Not particularly skittish or squeamish. I am a faithful fan of THE WALKING DEAD, for pity sakes. I think I've earned my stripes.

But I've been poring over the Old Testament in depth lately, reading quite a few stories Mrs. Jennings didn't tell me in Sunday School, stories Mom never read before we went to bed, either. Some of them give me chills. Goosebumps. Literally. Some downright brutal, awful things. Now, before you jump to conclusions about a raging, tyrannical, violent God, that's not what these stories are about. The God in them has a broken heart. He didn't want any of these awful things to happen. But every story has one theme in common. Every single horror story was acted out by someone who had put their own desires and opinions above everyone else, and had chosen to live out, "I will do this. What I feel, want, desire is more important than anything else."

Actually, I hear some pretty frightful stories that are being written and acted out every week myself. I haven't seen anyone cut to pieces literally, but I have seen people left with their heart, soul, and sense of dignity left in shreds.  Haven't seen eyes poked or burnt out, but I have seen people so seared by evil and poor decisions they can't see truth or goodness anymore. I haven't seen children sacrificed to Baal, but I have seen them sacrificed to careers, sexual precociousness and predators, dilatory parents...oh, so many idols of our day. Oh, the stories I could tell.

The difference in the Old Testament stories is that every one knows who the bad guys are, and calls them out.  Today we pretend we don't. We pretend no one (not even God in His Word) gets to decide what is wrong or right for someone else. Everyone gets to do what makes them feel good, empowered, fulfilled--no matter what.

Now there's a scary story.