Rev Dr Phuveyi Dozo
Naga United Village
Books are written on varied disciplines and subjects to deal with specific issues. But there is a book which is written by divine inspiration. It is the Bible which is equally for all ages, generations, profiles and professions. It has room for children, young and old, and all human status. The world suffers sickness of human wickedness inherited from the first parents. But the Word brings spiritual, psychological and mortal solutions. It heals the world because it restores God-man relationship. Human depravity is the common concern and worrisome of all religions and world’s leaders. The readers read and find peace and joy, and life solution. The world is infected with wars, threat, confrontation, intimidation, protest and strife, unrest, contention, dissatisfaction, and violence today out of jealousy, hatred, and greediness. Human downhill and deterioration is the result of our distorted relationship with God. The book, ‘Bible’ brought human solution in the past, it is relevant today and it will lead the world forward and onward.
It Brings Spiritual Security
The Bible assures us of eternal life after mortality. Enoch and Elijah went to life without death. Jesus raising Lazarus was a symbol of resurrection (John 11:25). God offered His gift of eternal life to the world through Jesus Christ (John 3:16). Human restlessness will be lessened once a person has eternal security in his or her heart. The fundamental problem of a person is emptiness of his or her heart. The world’s Philosopher (Preacher) advised humans to remember and depend upon the Creator (Ecclesiastes 12:1, 13) because He will bring out all hidden things. The corrupted Zacchaeus was happy when he was forgiven of his sins (Luke 19:9). God can do this to you today.
It Brings Victory over Moral Evils
The vulnerability of the world is a moral issue which is also termed as spiritual warfare. Think of thousand lives lost in Russia-Ukraine war, recent outbreak of violence in Manipur, political and territorial claim, warnings and challenges, and preparation for escalation of war and hostility among nations. Nations are reactive and perpetually competing. Global peace must come only from the Creator of the Universe; not from the president of one nation. The Lord who calmed the turbulent sea (Mark 4:39) can still calm our burning world by saying “Peace be still.”
It Builds Foundation of Ladder
All human success begins from grass-root foundation, not from the top. The dimension and magnitude of a ladder all depends upon the stability of its ground. Ladder refers to academic, physical, and holistic escalations. The Lord Jesus assured us that his teaching is the strong rock of life (Matthew 7:24). Furthermore, the Bible reminds us of the origin of knowledge and success (Proverbs 10:9; 22:6; Matthew 6:33). The need of education of our children is a strong godly and stable foundation amid hypotheses, speculation, relativism, evolution and mythological gestures. The Word can help the readers uphold the principle that can change the world. Lord Tennyson rightly asserted when he said, “Bible reading is an education in itself.” Education means ‘transformation.’
It Creates Healthy Coexistence
The slogan of the world is “Peace and Harmony.” But honesty alone can generate true peace. Political hatred, factious attitude, hidden subversion, ethnocentric mindset, duplicity, and national animosity are the germs that kill the vitality of human peace. The verdict of a nation invite counter verdict amid many presidents, rulers and generals, and prime ministers. The Bible talks about animals having destructive capability; but their poisons are defused, detoxicated and neutralized under the principle of the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 11:6-9; Romans 12:21). Figuratively, these opposing and contrasting armed animals can be compared with the assertive, contending and formidable nations, tribes and ethnic majority and minority plagued with conflicts and confrontation. The world talks about a new order of humanity. If this ‘new order’ must govern the world, it is the principle of ‘Immanuel’ (Psalms 33:12; 144:15), called wonderful Counselor.
It Brings Employment Solution
Problem will beget problem in the absence of the Bible in education system. But with the Word of God, our children and generation of today will generate wholesomeness and tranquility including love and forgiveness, hardworking, congeniality, prosperity, dependability and maturity. The Bible teaches us all these qualities. Consequently, employment issue will be eradicated. It is high time for you to read and practice it in families, schools, workplaces, business centers, and public offices. The fundamental values that the Bible offer are absent in the text books of our children. For example, active hands will bring prosperity but lazy hand brings poverty (Proverbs 10:4). We want our children to become self-reliant by wiping employment issue out.
It Develops Global Progress
The Bible treats the world as one family against separation. The Lord Jesus taught us to pray and to do the will of God for the world to become like Heaven (Matthew 6:9). The Israel nation was fractured and dispersed when they disobeyed God. God wants solidarity of the world and not isolation (Psalms 33:12). Our children should broadly know the importance of global peace and play their role and participation in process of global transformation. What Napoleon said bears much sense when he said, “The Bible is no mere book, but a Living Creature, with a power that conquers all that oppose it.”
Education Policy
1. Spiritual Value Children Must Learn
Our children, boys and girls, have every right to learn the fundamental foundation and heritage of their faith. They must not be deprived of the basic value of their life (Proverbs 22:6; Matthew 6:33). Human problems are spiritual issues but can be healed and solved with God who created knowledge and technology. There is a time for our kids to build their eternal foundation.
2. Fundamental Values Children Should Know
The dose to eradicate human vulnerability and deplorability must begin with God from the grass-root foundation of educational system in schools (Proverbs 9:10). These core values include divine ordination of family, work ethic, social decency and peaceful coexistence with each other, civic maturity, being locally global, healthy venturing, and sound spiritual foundation against false doctrines and theories. Returning to the Bible can replenish, recreate and revitalize the importance of humanity and spirituality. School education with the Bible can dispel savagery darkness and bring sunshine from future turbulence of uncertainty.
3. Self-Reliance Our Children Must Begin
A common catchword is ‘Employment.’ The world is a place of sufficiency by self-employing. Men and women must work to eat, have and live. No able-body will starve to death. A common sarcastic term “Doing Nothing” must be done away with ‘doing many things.’ Humans are created to work, procreate, produce and flourish. Think of transformation of the waste-lake Hula Basin of Israel. The Bible teaches us about the fountain of blessing (Matthew 6:33). It warns us of poverty and starvation (Proverbs 10:4; 2Thessolonians 3:10). The fingers of our children in schools must begin flexibility towards success beyond survival level. The disease of employment problem will be a bygone and buried issue with trained hands of our children today. The Bible is a book of work. The Lord Jesus told us that God is a working God (John 5:17). Bible in education system is an exigency because it will maximize and flourish values.
Queen Victoria made a global implication when she declared, “That book accounts for the supremacy of England.” The Bible is a book of positive revolution, renovation, innovation and reformation: human darkness to light, poverty to wealth, hatred to compassion and peace, remoteness to proximity, and worthlessness to integrity and worthiness. It can dissolve and remove looming disaster of humanity with replenished environment. Bible is a book of truth; this truth will vibrate and calibrate our homes, society, schools, and social life and government functionaries with definite difference. Mahatma Gandhi read and found consolation and derived inspiration, particularly, from the Sermon on the Mount of the New Testament.
There is power in the Word. The world is like grass that withers away but the word of God stands forever (Psalms 103:15; 1Peter 1:24,25). What George Washington said is a fundamental bearing when he said, “It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible.” Human solution comes from the Word.
God bless Nagaland!