Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Hello again, dear ones.

As you know, it’s kind of difficult for two people who live together to keep their contagious bugs to themselves. I’m on the downhill side of a head cold—and Becki is now working her way up to the summit. I didn’t intend to pass it on—it’s just hard not to.

Whereas I’ve attempted to recall a little Marshallese below, I’ll welcome corrective feedback from Norried and Doris Chaisson who are in the Marshall Islands—since they are on the current recipient list as well as fluent with that unique language.

It feels a little strange to not have Thano or grandkids here this week. Thano is in New York visiting his sister Jill and family—and his boys are on hold while he’s away.

Blessings on your day of whatever. I think He wants to bless your whatever—not just your forever.

Love to all—Ray.

I can still hear in my memory from 40 years ago a Marshallese congregation belting out one of their favorite Gospel songs—“Mouj Otem Mouj”—or “Whiter Than Snow.” (Just for fun, I’ll try to recall a line from that song: “Kwal iu im na inaj mouj otem mouj”—or “Wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.”) The geography, location, and tropical climate of the Marshall Islands offers a bit of challenge to translation of both the Scriptures and Gospel songs. So whereas there is no such thing as snow in that environment, the song translators chose to make the expression simply “Whiter Than White.”

“Whiter than snow” is a Biblical quote—actually from David’s prayer of repentance in Psalm 51—“Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow” (Psalm 51:7). Add to that the gracious plea that the Lord makes to wayward Israel through the prophet Isaiah—“"Come now, let us reason together," says the Lord. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land; but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword." For the mouth of the Lord has spoken” (Isaiah 1:18-20)

Even old western movies have picked up on the significance of black and white—where the bad guys wear the black hats and the good guys wear the white hats. So the Biblical use of the color white is also highly significant—representing restored clean relationship with a Holy God Who cannot tolerate the dirt and contamination of willful sin in His presence. That is the main idea of Jesus’ appeal to the compromised, contaminated, and dead church at Sardis—“Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy” (v. 4). The good news of the Gospel is that God has graciously provided all the cleansing we need to walk with Him clean and white—membership with the good guys before Him.

Another memory floats through my head—another song—one that Becki has taught to countless children over the years. The visual aids for the song are just 5 pieces of colored paper—black, red, white, yellow (gold), and green. It goes like this:

My heart was black with sin until the Savior came in. (Black)
His precious blood I know (Red)
has made me white as snow. (White)
And in God’s Word I’m told I’ll walk on streets of gold. (Yellow/gold)
To grow in Christ each day, I read my Bible and pray. (Green)