Seeing Myself In Scripture by KyAnne

Seeing Myself In Scripture by KyAnne - October 2023 Scholarship Essay

At the risk of sounding overly trite and cliché, I would like to explain why the Holy Bible has been one of the most impactful books I've ever read. And no, I'm not just talking about on the spiritual level. I believe that the Bible is an incredible resource for both Christians and Non-Christians alike for learning how to cope with adversity and failure and how to be a valuable member of society.
From the time we are young, a lot of us operate under the assumption that people who are good have good things happen to them, and the converse is true for those who are bad. This leads to the belief that when something bad happens to us in our lives, it must be because we have, on some level, failed. We presume that we must be bad people if something bad has happened to us. But the truth is that life doesn’t work that way. The Bible is littered with stories of very good people who experience very hard things. Daniel was thrown in the lion’s den, Esther went without food and then risked her life on behalf of her people, prophets were stoned, and Jesus himself was killed. The Bible is evidence that even good people—in fact, the very best of people—have bad things happen to them. And when they come out on the other side, they are better, stronger people because of it. This has given me reassurance in my life not only that I am still a good person even if bad things happen, but also that I can make it through them.
Another misconception many of us believe is that because we have failures and are imperfect people, we won’t be able to accomplish the great things we hear about other more successful—and supposedly perfect—people doing. But as I have read stories from the Bible, it has struck me how human and flawed the people depicted are, and how they still accomplish great things. They are only human, but they don’t let their humanness get in the way of their efforts. Moses is slow of speech. Peter is impulsive. Paul spent years putting innocent people in prison. But despite their failings, they still accomplished great things. When I read parts of the Bible like the Epistles of Paul, I feel a connection to the people who are suffering and struggling just like me. They may have lived hundreds of years ago, but the problems they faced are remarkably similar to my own. And if Paul was able to keep such a positive attitude even when stuck in prison, then maybe I can find hope and confidence even when my life feels like it’s falling apart.
Even outside of my times of distress or failure, the Bible has taught me a lot about how to live my life. From the teachings of Jesus and other prophets in the Bible, I’ve learned a lot of valuable lessons. I’ve read about how important it is to be a compassionate person, to look for those on the outskirts of society and welcome them in. I’ve read about diligence and hard work, and how we need to put in our best effort to help our communities thrive. I’ve read about patience and humility, and how we should always check ourselves before pointing out the flaws of others. There are lessons about being generous with our financial and temporal blessings, helping those who have less than ourselves, and defending the things we believe in without being argumentative. These, along with countless other principles, have given me a blueprint for the kind of person I need to be in order to uplift and improve my community.
The Bible has taught me to be a better daughter, a better teacher, a better friend. It’s informed the way I interact with children, and the way I view criminals. It has increased my gratitude and multiplied my empathy. Yes, it’s a book about God and religion, but it’s also a book about how to live. How to be a good person. How to excel in whatever I do. And so this, above almost any other book I’ve read, has changed my life.