Amelia Bedelia is a favorite literary children's character. This poor, dim-witted maid is a literalist. You tell her to dust the tables, and she sprinkles talc everywhere. You tell her to dress the turkey, and she gets out a little lime green pantsuit. You tell her to draw the curtains and she gets out her sketch pad.

In reading about Amelia Bedelia, you realize that we have many phrases that are confusing — especially if you take them literally. "Happy as a clam." Are they really that happy? Or, "I'm so mad I could wring your neck," Come on, we don't mean that ... do we?

The Bible does the same thing. It also uses words, paints pictures, and employs literary devices to convey a truth oftentimes above or beyond the literal words. Now, to be sure, some truths have to be literal or histori…