Corn? Words Are Powerful

As a teen, I believed what the Bible said. My parents hadn't attended church regularly until I was eleven, but when I heard biblical lessons and read my Bible, I believed it was inspired by God, was filled with examples to follow, and Jesus was very real.

Until someone outside of church told me about corn. A food cultivated only in the Americas prior to Columbus, how did it get into the Bible, where it is found in 94 verses, both in the Old and New Testaments? The carrier of this news was ready to laugh at a Christian’s silly beliefs when (almost) everyone knew there was no corn in the Middle East for Jesus to pluck and eat:

At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat. (Matthew 12:1 KJV)

Naturally, I’ve learned a lot since then, quite a bit of semantics – words have meaning, but the meaning of words change for a variety of reasons. We must know the history of the word in question before we can be certain what its meaning was and now is. I like Sam Dean’s corn etymology article in bon appetit, where we read:

Back in the day, English speakers could use "corn" to refer to any grain they felt like, though it usually meant the predominant crop in a given region. In England, wheat was "corn," while oats were "corn" in Scotland and Ireland, and even rice was "the only corn that grows in the island" of Batavia (a.k.a. the Indonesian island of Java), as described in a 1767 travelogue.

What we call just plain "corn" today started out as "Indian corn," but we dropped the qualifier by the early 1800s. Today Americans, Canadians, and Australians are still the only Anglophones who call the stuff on the cob "corn," and a trip down a British Tesco aisle will yield more references to "maize" than you'd ever find stateside (unless you're at a grade school Thanksgiving pageant).

So – whatever Jesus and His disciples plucked to eat, it was not the western hemisphere’s maize, which was found following colonization. And using the translation “corn” is absolutely correct based on the history of the word that can be traced centuries back. Even without the internet, back in the 1950's I was able to learn the source of "corn," and had my faith renewed. I learned a very good lesson.

The lesson? Words are powerful. As that teen, I had no information on the history of what I knew as “corn,” and I was open to belief that the Bible was wrong when it was only my lack of knowledge that allowed a touch of disbelief grow.

What I’m asking of my readers is:  When you are given a reasonable argument as to why the Bible is incorrect, learn more. Do the research to be certain the argument given is based on facts that go beyond an individual’s lack of belief. Do as I have suggested time and again – be as the Bereans from Acts 17:

And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few. (Acts 17:10-12 KJV)

That happens often when someone takes time to search the scriptures deeply, seeking to know the truth. It also happens often that people who disagree will also stir up others:

But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people. (Acts 17:13 KJV)

And they will no longer run around with you, thinking your changes strange:

For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you: (1 Peter 4:3-4 KJV)

My Friend Died

 

So, why did I show you a photo of a library? Because my friend pushed – hard – to get the city she once lived in to have a public library. You’d have thought every city with close to 10,000 population had one, but hers didn’t until she completed her work. After their family moved to a rural county, she did the same thing at a small country church close to 15 miles from the nearest city. Now it has a nice sized library due to her involvement.

Her interests went much further than libraries, but were rooted in her family. She wanted her children educated, in the world for business purposes and in their religious life for eternal purposes. She also wanted to see missionaries able to educate, in intellect as well as in the gospel of Christ.

We had not visited in person since October, 2020, when I became ill with Covid-19. Social distancing in 2020 changed her life and mine – but we spoke over the phone, looking forward to meeting again. Especially after she was diagnosed with inoperable cancer and her outings were confined to doctor visits. But, she said she was okay.  Her son told us that at the very last of her life her, she said, “I’m okay,” and passed peacefully. Oh, God, that we could all say the same!

I miss her. But she and I shared one very important concept:

Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. (2 Corinthians 5:6-8 KJV)

Nothing I could write would match the love shown from her children as they shared in her obituary, linked here. The one thing I believe she would share with everyone is her firm belief that Jesus is Christ and worthy of our love.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. (John 3:16-17 KJV)

One of the first verses we read from the Bible, and the basic foundation of Christianity.

My friend believed it, and lived it. There are several missionaries who would agree with me, for they received prayerful support from her, her family, and a group of ladies who worked with her. The Haynes family in New Mexico, the Homeless No More outreach, the Coates family in Central America, are just a few supported by gifts and prayers. There are sewing machines given to help families raise money. Quilts were made and donated to keep people warm. Bibles given to help their souls and food to help their bodies.

She believed in opening her home, sharing her love with others. One of her loving ways was cooking for people. Once we had a church staff member who lived several miles away. Rather than have them drive home after Sunday morning services and back that evening, she had them over for lunch and an afternoon of fellowship.  No doubt she embodied the Proverbs 31 woman:

She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates. (Proverbs 31:27-31 KJV)

My friend died and I miss her. Right now, the difference between me and a non-Christian is that I know I will see her again, and it saddens me that unless they change, they won’t ever see her again. What proof do I have? The Bible tells me so, immediately after telling me that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish it says:

He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.  (John 3:18 KJV)

Please read the Bible with an open mind and a seeking heart. I’d love to introduce you to my friend as we spend eternity with our Lord.