Picking Your Battles

The politically incorrect instructor for my gun safety class decided to use Sunday School teachers for his verbal target practice. “How many of you know the Sixth Commandment; what does it say?” The old timer didn’t really want an answer, but he caught us off guard because we were all packing guns, not Bibles. He quickly moved on, “I’ll tell you what it says. It says, ‘You shall not murder’. For years all your Sunday School teachers have been lying to you. They’re liars because they continue teaching you that the Bible says, ‘You shall not kill’ when they know it says murder, not kill.” Although there were many believers in the class, it was not the time or place for any of us to challenge the accusations, but his comments did send me to Scripture as soon as I got home. The King James Version of Exodus 20:13 quoted, “Thou shalt not kill”, but the NIV quoted, “You shall not murder.” According to the NIV study notes, murder is a more accurate translation and the Hebrew for the verb usually refers to a premeditated and deliberate act. I’d love to take his class again if for no other reason than to set the record straight. It is interesting how an unbeliever can help prepare us for the next spiritual battle.