Fairy-tales and Metaphors

The world can be scary, knowing we have a real enemy - the devil. I am fortunate, as are all believers, in that we also have hope and trust in a very real savior, Jesus Christ. My sadness is in those who think the story of Jesus, which has been sold an astonishing amount and translated into several languages, is a fairy-tale and that by just being "good" everything will be alright. Additionally, there are those that think that the devil isn't real, just a metaphor for evil.

If Jesus is a fairy-tale then it would be a brilliantly crafted one that has overcome a significant portion of the population. According to a study by James Chapman, the Bible far outsold any other book, with a whopping 3.9 billion copies sold over the last 50 years. Harry Potter, conversely, (an actual fairy-tale) only sold 320 million. The Bible has been translated into 3,350 languages according to a recent study by Wycliffe. Harry Potter, just 74 languages. Stories of figures in the Bible, including Jesus himself, have been verified in historical documents and sites of the Bible stories have been archaeologically validated. The Bible, my Jesus, is not a fairy-tale but the greatest story ever told that I wish everyone on the planet knew in their heart.

If the devil is a metaphor for evil and Jesus a fairy-tale, then where does our moral compass come from? Look at the Ten Commandments, like it or not the basics of most laws and expected behavior in polite society parallel these laws given to us by God through Moses. When it comes to thinking about evil in our contemporary world, there are two mistakes we can make: to see it everywhere, to see it nowhere. C.S. Lewis warned of both extremes. People have differing opinions, some believe in a literal fallen angel, the devil; nevertheless, others believe it is a euphemism for the original sin which draws us to make wrong choices, an explanation for evil in the world. I think this was the devil's greatest trick - fooling the world into believing he is not real. The Bible clearly warns us that he is real:

1 John 3:8 The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.

John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

1 Peter 5:8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

So, the Bible is not a fairy-tale and the devil is not a metaphor. Jesus, the Bible, God, and the devil - all real. The first three help you combat that last one. Community is a great weapon and one the devil works against.

Mathew 18:20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.

James 4:7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Mathew 18:19 Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

So, don't fake it, don't try to impress others, just be yourself, be a child of God who resists the enemy. Stand by your family and friends when things get difficult. Use community, use prayer, and do not get caught up in what the world is trying to tell you about Jesus or the devil.