Lessons From the Bible

Reflecting on the Bible, I have distilled three important lessons that can mould me into a brave, diligent and upright young man. Allow me, my beloved reader, to share the lessons with you. Hopefully by the time I finish, I will have inspired you to study the Good Book as well. Oh, I won't take much of your time!

The first lesson is to not fear any person. For those of us who had a suppressed childhood, we know well how hard it has been to be acquire the virtue of courage in our adult life. We have feared almost everything: ridicule, criticism, rejection, you name it. Indeed, old fears die hard.

As for me, the Bible has encouraged me to be as brave as a lion. My friend Paul Bundi Karau, the top candidate in 2002 KCSE exams, says in one of his books that the Bible talks of courage 365 times. I am not sure about that, but at least I know a couple of verses that exhort us to be of good courage.

There is Joshua 1:9 which says, "Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."^[1]

Then there is 2 Timothy 1:7 which points us, "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity but of power, of love and of self-discipline."^[2]

But it is Isaiah 51:12-13 that phrases it best when it comforts us this way: "Who are you that you fear mortal men, the sons of men, who are but grass, that you forget the Lord your Maker, who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the Earth...?"^[3]

Those three Bible verses have infused me with courage to be myself. So however much the howlers may howl, however much the scowlers may scowl and however much the growlers may growl, I will keep acting in harmony with my authentic self.

The second lesson I have gleaned from the Bible is to value work. Stating that work was assigned by God, the book of Sirach (an inspirational page-turner in the Catholic Bible) implores us not to hate hard work. Then the philosophical book of Ecclesiastes beseeches us to work with all our might, for in the grave where we are all headed, there "is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom".

But there is a catch here: the same book of Ecclesiastes that counsels us to work with all our might also advises us find joy in our work - something Steve Jobs, a Buddhist who revolutionized the hi-tech industry by making personal computers possible, highlighted in his famous 2005 commencement speech at Stanford University.

As for me, I am converting my writing, singing and piano-playing hobbies into work which I am praying will make me self-reliant and give me opportunities to impact the world positively. And, believe it or not, I am really working hard to be exceptional at those hobbies.

The third lesson I have picked up from my Bible is on that taboo subject in many families all across the world. But if the holy Bible devotes a whole chapter in the book of Leviticus (chapter 18) to instruct us on what we shouldn't do when going about it, why shy away from discussing it here? The taboo subject is none other than sex.

Let's face it: sexual feelings are part of the package that come with the gift of life for humans. At times, sexual feelings become so intense that even prominent men put their reputation at risk to engage in sex.

While we all know sex produces a pleasant feeling, the wise among us admit it ought to be exercised with care. Why? Because no well-meaning parents would wish their daughter to get pregnant while still in high school, or their son to contract a venereal disease.

As for me, I believe sex should be practised within the confines of marriage by a couple that understands birth control and is ready to nurture children. If all people on Earth shared my belief, this planet would be blissful to live in since the criminals who create hell on Earth are as a result of the hoi-polloi bearing kids they are unable to educate into law-abiding citizens.

And so, what have I learnt about sex from the Bible? That both men and women get sexually aroused. The book of Proverbs cautions handsome young men (like me) to be wary of "the wayward wife with her seductive words", something the story of Joseph in the book of Genesis makes clear.

You see, after Joseph went to Egypt, he grew into a handsome and well-built man which led his master's wife to take notice and lust after him. I won't tell you what happened next. Just find a Bible and read the rest of the story for yourself.

For those of us who grew up as timid boys, it comes as a surprise to us to learn that women get sexually aroused. And it is not only our timidity that has created in our minds the impression that only men get turned on, but also the news we have heard of men raping or sexually harassing women.

Having learnt the truth from the Bible, I can now authoritatively inform all timid boys out there that women get sexually aroused, sometimes even more than men. It's just that if a man forces a woman to have sex with him, that's reported to authorities as rape and sexual assault. But if a woman forces a man to have sex with her, that's not considered a crime at all. That's the way it is folks!

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^{[1], [2] & [3]} Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (NIV). Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of International Bible Society. All rights reserved worldwide.