Beyond the Words: Encountering the God of the BibleSample

Real People, Real God

Who is your favorite Bible character? I've asked and answered this question countless times. I've taught lessons on Bible characters and even dressed up as them for church events. As a kid, I wore a Burger King crown and dressed up like Queen Esther most years for Halloween.

There's nothing wrong with having favorites or using the term "Bible characters." But here's what I've discovered:

When I think of the people in Scripture primarily as "characters," I can completely miss what God wants to show me.

I see them as flat figures placed in a story to teach me something rather than real people who had genuine, personal encounters with God.

For years, I read these accounts as if they were scripted solely for my benefit. I'd look for the moral of the story or the lesson I should apply, treating these individuals as illustrations rather than humans who breathed, struggled, and hoped just like me.

These aren’t just stories for you and me—they were encounters between real people and the same God we know.

One day, everything shifted for me. I still remember sitting there with my Bible open, reading a passage of scripture that I had read countless times before. And I wept over what God did for the widow of Nain.

Her story is recorded in Luke 7. We don't know her name. We don't know her backstory. But Jesus knew her completely.

When you read this account today, look through the lens of "a real person meeting our real God," and notice what stands out:

• Jesus saw her grief—not as a setup for a miracle, but He responded to her genuine human suffering
• He had compassion on her—the same compassion He has for you today
• He spoke directly to her pain—"Do not weep"
• He responded to a need she hadn't even voiced—no request was necessary

This wasn't just a demonstration of power for the crowds, or just a story to record for future followers. It was a deeply personal ministry to one grieving mother.

That day, I cried tears of gratitude for what Jesus did for this widow. Like she was my friend. Like I knew her in real life and I was moved by God’s compassion for her.

I think that happened because:

1. God brought revelation of himself.
2. I slowed down long enough to remember that she was real.

When you remember that Bible "characters" were actual people having real-time encounters with God, Scripture transforms from a collection of moral lessons into a window to see how God relates to people He loves.

God does teach us through their stories. He does offer us timeless truth that applies to our lives today. And that begins with the awareness of who He is and what He is like.

The same God who noticed a widow's tears notices yours.

The same Jesus who interrupted a funeral procession to restore life will step into your circumstances too.

You're also someone He knows intimately and loves completely, and He cares to minister to you.

If you've ever felt lost in Bible stories or struggled to connect them to your own life, tomorrow's revelation is a game-changer.