"You're wrong there, son," said one of the women. "If it keeps raining like this, we better sing Higher Ground.

And telling you that story reminds me of two things: First, I have been teaching the Bible most of my life. Second, I discovered a long time ago that the only way to read the Bible well is to seek that "higher ground."

Example: Deuteronomy 5:9 tells us, "I the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquities or parents to the fourth generation of those who reject me."

We know the underlying truth in that. Children do suffer for the sins of the parents. We see this all the time. But the prophet Ezekiel, several books over in the Bible, rejected the implication that God deliberately punishes the children.

Ezekiel 18:20 says, "A child shall not suffer for the iniquity of a parent. . The wickedness of the wicked shall be his own."

We know that Ezekiel is right about the way God works with us. Ezekiel gives us that higher ground.

The blessed Paul ('love him!) tells us in Ephesians 5:n that "the husband is head of the wife just as Christ is the head of the church."

But before we interpret that, we must move to the higher ground of Galatians 3:28: "There is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ." That is the great Gospel truth and Paul made it clear. Everything else he said on the subject must be read in light of that.

I heard a minister support an argument recently by quoting the Old Testament line, "an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth." I was shocked by his disregard for what Jesus said in Matthew 5:38, where he chose the "eye for an eye" idea for specific rejection, and told us to love our enemies.

Jesus is the highest ground of all. His life and teachings must guide us in reading all the Bible. He doesn't just set the standard; he is the standard, the image of God by which all other images must be judged.

If we read the Bible with Christ as our standard, not only will we find ourselves standing on that higher ground - we will enjoy showers of blessing, too.

Be in church this Sunday. (Our worship times are printed above.)