Bad Girls of the Bible
by Liz Curtis Higgs
In preaching the gospel, one of the primary intentions is to be true to the text, making sure that the listener hears the Word of God without distortion. But another part of the task is to make the message practical. After all, we are to be “doers of the Word and not just hearers.”
One of the ways I have found to help see the people of Scripture as more normal human beings is by reading Biblical Fiction. By that I mean those works that build fictional looks at the people of the pages of the Bible between and surrounded by the events that are recorded. Often the writers help make the lives of the heroes of faith like neighbors or acquaintances.
When I was given a copy of Bad Girls of the Bible, by Liz Curtis Higgs, I had no idea how much I would enjoy it. Higgs takes an approach that is unusual. In each chapter she presents a modern day story that parallels a biblical account. The fictitious characters face modern day challenges that are equivalent to those faced by the Bible characters in ancient days. Each story is then followed by a practical application of the principles presented in the Scriptures.
Of course, as the title indicates, each of the Bible figures chosen by Higgs is, in one way or another, a “bad girl.” Those included in the book are Eve, Potiphar’s Wife, Lot’s Wife, The Woman at the Well, Delilah, Sapphira, Rahab, Jezebel, Michal, and the Sinful Woman. Using these characters, Higgs presents ten very real stories and ten very practical lessons.
- Reviewed by Ralph Bryant © 2009