April 2021
Inspired or Imposter
“Hey Mom! I have my answer all ready for class tomorrow!” Emily called as she breezed through the kitchen, her backpack overloaded with all sorts of gear. She held up a magnifying glass to examine one of the refrigerator magnets from last year’s vacation. “I’m going to be a private investigator! Miss Moore told us all to pick out a job we think we would like to do, then learn about it and tell the class tomorrow instead of regular Show and Tell. Fourth Grade is lots of fun.”
Mom continued wiping the counters and smiled at Emily’s excitement. “That’s interesting. I thought you wanted to be a veterinarian and take care of injured animals. What changed your mind?”
“I’ve been reading that new set of mysteries about the Tree Fort Mystery Girls. They are always discovering answers about things kids don’t understand. In the book I finished yesterday they found out that there was a burglar who was pretending to be a telephone repairman. He was an imposter!”
“That’s a new word I haven’t heard you use before. Am I right?” asked Mom.
“I looked it up in my new dictionary,” said Emily, as she unzipped her backpack and pulled out her dictionary. “Here’s what it says. ‘Imposter, noun, a person who pretends to be someone else in order to deceive others, especially for fraud-u-lent gain.’ That guy wasn’t really a repairman at all. He was looking for places he could rob! The police caught him when he came back late at night and tried to get into one of the houses.”
“You’re right. An imposter is someone who is pretending to be something they’re not. Emily, did you remember that Grammy invited you to come and help her today?”
“Oh, yes, ma’am. She said I could help her make strawberry jam. M-m-m! My favorite!”
“Well, it looks like you still have a job or two to finish on your chore chart, and then you can go.” Emily looked at the chore chart on the refrigerator, and headed off to empty the trash cans and sweep the hallway. Before long she was checking off the last of her chores, and headed down to Pap and Grammy’s house on her bike.
Grammy and Pap lived in a farm house right at the end of their road. At the farm there were cows and goats and chickens, a barn cat with four kittens, and Pap even said he might get a pony they could ride. Emily coasted into the long drive with the breeze blowing in her hair, hopped off her bike and then kicked the kickstand into place. “Hi, Grammy!” she called as she entered the back door. Like always, they called to let Mom know she had arrived safely.
Grammy was already working at the cutting board, slicing up the strawberries they would cook for their jam. “Would you like a bowl of fresh strawberries before we get started?”
“Yes, ma’am!” Emily raced to the fridge for the can of whipped cream. “Strawberries are my favorite!” Emily caught Grammy up on all her latest news while she ate her snack, and told her about the Mystery Tree Fort stories and the repairman who was an imposter, which reminded her about tomorrow’s assignment. “It was such an interesting story, I decided that I want be a private investigator and solve mysteries. So tomorrow I’m going to tell the class about doing that kind of a job. I think Dylan is going to talk about being a police officer and Erica wants to be a nurse.”
Pretty soon Emily was stirring the pot for Grammy as they talked, keeping the wooden spoon moving constantly so their jam wouldn’t stick to the pan and burn. “We have a new girl in our class who just moved here from Arizona. Her name is Alexis.”
Grammy asked a few questions about Emily’s new classmate, and then Emily remembered something. “Maybe this is kind of a mystery, too. When we started learning a new memory verse, Alexis was picked to read it, but it didn’t say the same words in her Bible that I saw in mine. Miss Moore said it was a different version, and she gave Alexis one of the extra Bibles she keeps in our classroom. I thought there was only one Bible.”
“You thought right, Emily. There is only one. But just like everything else, the devil always has an imposter, pretending to be what it’s not.”
“That’s kind of what our teacher said, too,” Emily agreed. “She told us the devil wants to tamper with the verses that teach us correct Bible doctrines, and the other versions have parts that are changed, and some verses are even missing. Miss Moore also said that God blessed and used the King James Bible in lots of great revivals with English-speaking people.” By this time she and Grammy were ladling the cooked jam into little jars, and wiping off the tops before they screwed the lids on to seal. Grammy put the jars in the canner pan and boiled them for a few minutes.
“Here’s another interesting fact, Emily. The King James Bible is the only one that doesn’t have a copyright in it. All the others have been copyrighted by people who make money from selling them,” Grammy said, “The King James Bible is the one written by God and no man can claim it or make money from it.
“I think we could find some good verses to use in solving that mystery. Maybe even some of the ones you have already learned.” While the jars of jam sat to cool and seal, Emily pulled her school Bible out of her backpack and sat down at the kitchen table. Grammy put a bowl of the fresh jam on the table along with a plate of toast and two glasses of milk. Then she brought her Bible and sat down.
“Here is one of my favorites,” Grammy said as she turned the pages. “Second Timothy 3:16 says, ‘All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:’ Inspiration means that God breathed the very words of the Bible, just like you can feel your breath coming out when you talk if you put your hand in front of your mouth. What God says is always the truth, and the Bible calls him, “God, who cannot lie.” All scripture is inspired, or God-breathed, so it’s perfect and true and right, and we can trust it.”
“I better jot that one down in my notebook. Here’s one we learned last year about God protecting His Word and it never changes. ‘The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.’ Psalm 12:6-7. Miss Moore says that God’s Bible never changes, even though people have tried to change the words. The lady at the store told Alexis’ mom that other version was easier to read, but she didn’t tell her that it was an imposter that had a bunch things changed in it.”
Pap had come into the kitchen for a drink of water, and decided to sample the strawberry jam, too. “That verse is important because it reminds us that God’s word is inspired to begin with, and it’s also preserved or protected. God has never changed His Word or allowed it to be changed. ‘For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.’ That’s what it says in Psalm 119:89.”
Pap had another verse to add. “Hebrews 4:12 says the Bible is alive and powerful. ‘For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Emily wrote down those references with the ones she already had. “Evidence to support my investigation,” she said as she patted her notebook. “I’m going to show it to Mom and Dad tonight at supper.”
Before long the afternoon was gone, and it was time to go back home and help Mom set the table. “I can’t wait to show you all my notes from today, Mom. Grammy and Pap and I found some really good verses to use.” After Daddy prayed, they passed the dishes and filled their plates. Emily read them the verses she had written in her notebook about the King James Bible.
Dad thought about those verses and said, “One of my favorite passages about scripture is in Psalm 19. ‘The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than the honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.’”
“Wow, that’s a long memory verse!” said Emily’s brother, Evan.
“It’s really several verses, but all important promises about the Bible,” said Dad.
“Our kids choir sang those verses as a scripture song, and it helps me remember the verses,” Emily said.
“When I was a boy,” said Dad, “my Sunday School teacher gave me a Bible, and he wrote inside the cover, ‘This Book will keep you from sin, and sin will keep you from this Book.’ That goes right along with Psalm 119:11. ‘Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.’ Reading and learning and memorizing and obeying the Bible will protect us from sin and the destruction that sin brings.”
Emily was still writing in her notebook, trying to get it all written down. “I think I have a lot of clues and information for my case already, and I’m going to show it to my teacher first thing tomorrow morning. If I continue my investigation maybe I can write a mystery story to remind kids to make sure they have a Bible that’s real and inspired, and not some other book that’s just an imposter.”
“Hey Mom! I have my answer all ready for class tomorrow!” Emily called as she breezed through the kitchen, her backpack overloaded with all sorts of gear. She held up a magnifying glass to examine one of the refrigerator magnets from last year’s vacation. “I’m going to be a private investigator! Miss Moore told us all to pick out a job we think we would like to do, then learn about it and tell the class tomorrow instead of regular Show and Tell. Fourth Grade is lots of fun.”
Mom continued wiping the counters and smiled at Emily’s excitement. “That’s interesting. I thought you wanted to be a veterinarian and take care of injured animals. What changed your mind?”
“I’ve been reading that new set of mysteries about the Tree Fort Mystery Girls. They are always discovering answers about things kids don’t understand. In the book I finished yesterday they found out that there was a burglar who was pretending to be a telephone repairman. He was an imposter!”
“That’s a new word I haven’t heard you use before. Am I right?” asked Mom.
“I looked it up in my new dictionary,” said Emily, as she unzipped her backpack and pulled out her dictionary. “Here’s what it says. ‘Imposter, noun, a person who pretends to be someone else in order to deceive others, especially for fraud-u-lent gain.’ That guy wasn’t really a repairman at all. He was looking for places he could rob! The police caught him when he came back late at night and tried to get into one of the houses.”
“You’re right. An imposter is someone who is pretending to be something they’re not. Emily, did you remember that Grammy invited you to come and help her today?”
“Oh, yes, ma’am. She said I could help her make strawberry jam. M-m-m! My favorite!”
“Well, it looks like you still have a job or two to finish on your chore chart, and then you can go.” Emily looked at the chore chart on the refrigerator, and headed off to empty the trash cans and sweep the hallway. Before long she was checking off the last of her chores, and headed down to Pap and Grammy’s house on her bike.
Grammy and Pap lived in a farm house right at the end of their road. At the farm there were cows and goats and chickens, a barn cat with four kittens, and Pap even said he might get a pony they could ride. Emily coasted into the long drive with the breeze blowing in her hair, hopped off her bike and then kicked the kickstand into place. “Hi, Grammy!” she called as she entered the back door. Like always, they called to let Mom know she had arrived safely.
Grammy was already working at the cutting board, slicing up the strawberries they would cook for their jam. “Would you like a bowl of fresh strawberries before we get started?”
“Yes, ma’am!” Emily raced to the fridge for the can of whipped cream. “Strawberries are my favorite!” Emily caught Grammy up on all her latest news while she ate her snack, and told her about the Mystery Tree Fort stories and the repairman who was an imposter, which reminded her about tomorrow’s assignment. “It was such an interesting story, I decided that I want be a private investigator and solve mysteries. So tomorrow I’m going to tell the class about doing that kind of a job. I think Dylan is going to talk about being a police officer and Erica wants to be a nurse.”
Pretty soon Emily was stirring the pot for Grammy as they talked, keeping the wooden spoon moving constantly so their jam wouldn’t stick to the pan and burn. “We have a new girl in our class who just moved here from Arizona. Her name is Alexis.”
Grammy asked a few questions about Emily’s new classmate, and then Emily remembered something. “Maybe this is kind of a mystery, too. When we started learning a new memory verse, Alexis was picked to read it, but it didn’t say the same words in her Bible that I saw in mine. Miss Moore said it was a different version, and she gave Alexis one of the extra Bibles she keeps in our classroom. I thought there was only one Bible.”
“You thought right, Emily. There is only one. But just like everything else, the devil always has an imposter, pretending to be what it’s not.”
“That’s kind of what our teacher said, too,” Emily agreed. “She told us the devil wants to tamper with the verses that teach us correct Bible doctrines, and the other versions have parts that are changed, and some verses are even missing. Miss Moore also said that God blessed and used the King James Bible in lots of great revivals with English-speaking people.” By this time she and Grammy were ladling the cooked jam into little jars, and wiping off the tops before they screwed the lids on to seal. Grammy put the jars in the canner pan and boiled them for a few minutes.
“Here’s another interesting fact, Emily. The King James Bible is the only one that doesn’t have a copyright in it. All the others have been copyrighted by people who make money from selling them,” Grammy said, “The King James Bible is the one written by God and no man can claim it or make money from it.
“I think we could find some good verses to use in solving that mystery. Maybe even some of the ones you have already learned.” While the jars of jam sat to cool and seal, Emily pulled her school Bible out of her backpack and sat down at the kitchen table. Grammy put a bowl of the fresh jam on the table along with a plate of toast and two glasses of milk. Then she brought her Bible and sat down.
“Here is one of my favorites,” Grammy said as she turned the pages. “Second Timothy 3:16 says, ‘All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:’ Inspiration means that God breathed the very words of the Bible, just like you can feel your breath coming out when you talk if you put your hand in front of your mouth. What God says is always the truth, and the Bible calls him, “God, who cannot lie.” All scripture is inspired, or God-breathed, so it’s perfect and true and right, and we can trust it.”
“I better jot that one down in my notebook. Here’s one we learned last year about God protecting His Word and it never changes. ‘The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.’ Psalm 12:6-7. Miss Moore says that God’s Bible never changes, even though people have tried to change the words. The lady at the store told Alexis’ mom that other version was easier to read, but she didn’t tell her that it was an imposter that had a bunch things changed in it.”
Pap had come into the kitchen for a drink of water, and decided to sample the strawberry jam, too. “That verse is important because it reminds us that God’s word is inspired to begin with, and it’s also preserved or protected. God has never changed His Word or allowed it to be changed. ‘For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.’ That’s what it says in Psalm 119:89.”
Pap had another verse to add. “Hebrews 4:12 says the Bible is alive and powerful. ‘For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Emily wrote down those references with the ones she already had. “Evidence to support my investigation,” she said as she patted her notebook. “I’m going to show it to Mom and Dad tonight at supper.”
Before long the afternoon was gone, and it was time to go back home and help Mom set the table. “I can’t wait to show you all my notes from today, Mom. Grammy and Pap and I found some really good verses to use.” After Daddy prayed, they passed the dishes and filled their plates. Emily read them the verses she had written in her notebook about the King James Bible.
Dad thought about those verses and said, “One of my favorite passages about scripture is in Psalm 19. ‘The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than the honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.’”
“Wow, that’s a long memory verse!” said Emily’s brother, Evan.
“It’s really several verses, but all important promises about the Bible,” said Dad.
“Our kids choir sang those verses as a scripture song, and it helps me remember the verses,” Emily said.
“When I was a boy,” said Dad, “my Sunday School teacher gave me a Bible, and he wrote inside the cover, ‘This Book will keep you from sin, and sin will keep you from this Book.’ That goes right along with Psalm 119:11. ‘Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.’ Reading and learning and memorizing and obeying the Bible will protect us from sin and the destruction that sin brings.”
Emily was still writing in her notebook, trying to get it all written down. “I think I have a lot of clues and information for my case already, and I’m going to show it to my teacher first thing tomorrow morning. If I continue my investigation maybe I can write a mystery story to remind kids to make sure they have a Bible that’s real and inspired, and not some other book that’s just an imposter.”
