 Too many important conversations in my life have ended with, well clearly you don't take the Bible seriously. It turns out what they actually mean is that I don't read a particular verse literally, you know, the way they read it. Don't get me wrong, I'm literally serious when I say I love the Bible. In its pages I find life-giving words about compassion and hospitality and justice and Jesus. And today I'm reminded that reading the words of Scripture seriously is not synonymous with reading them literally. After all, we follow a Jesus who taught through parables and answered questions with stories and more questions.