Spectator Competition: Chapter and verse

In Comp 3368 you were invited to update a well-known story from the Bible to make it ‘speak to’ life in 2024. There were a few Good Samaritans, Prodigal Sons and Cana weddings, and a splendid trio of Noahs. A special mention goes to David Silverman’s version of Psalm 23, which didn’t fit the remit but offers alternative comfort in these troubled times:

The Lord is my life coach – I shall not stress.

He empowereth me with positive affirmations

And leadeth me to wellness strategies,

Building my emotional resilience.

He teacheth me mindfulness techniques,

Emotional regulation and cognitive reappraisal.

Praise be to the multitudes of runners-up (too many to name) and the winners receive £25.

Genesis unfolds in a world obsessed with instant gratification. God, after days of generating, steps back to admire His Universe, but instead of ‘Awesome, dude!’, He’s met with endless notifications about eco crises, trigger warnings, Facebook rants. ‘Let there be light,’ He declares, only for Amazon/Paramount/Disney+ (‘I didn’t want these!’) to interrupt, ‘New series just dropped!’ Nature grows, and plants are tagged in endless selfies as ‘#NatureGoals’.