What thoughts do you have when you see an A?

First letter of the alphabet.

A word that means “one.”

Something that makes the aaaa sound.

But what if you couldn’t read? What if you had no thoughts when you saw an A? “To the uneducated, an A is just three sticks.” Do you remember reading that in The World of Winnie-the-Pooh? (If you do, you can thank the people who taught you to read!)

Knowing how to read and write is called literacy. And it matters a lot! Kids who can read have an easier time in almost all parts of life. They do better in school. They can read all about what Jesus has done in the Bible. When they grow up, they can get good jobs. And then, of course, they can teach their own kids to read.

People with low literacy might not be able to read a newspaper. They might not know what road signs mean. When they go to the store, they might not know how much things cost. Can they read a bus schedule, fill out a form at the doctor’s office, interpret a medicine bottle, or use the internet? Probably not! Plus, not knowing how to read and write means missing out on a lot of fun! What is your favorite book, your favorite thing to write about, or your favorite poem? Imagine a world where those things aren’t available to you.

Literacy is tied to almost everything we do as humans. That makes sense. Think back to when God made the world. What did He do? He spoke! He used words to make life happen. God made us in His image, so we use words to make our lives work too.

When the Bible describes Jesus, it calls Him the Word. That tells us a lot about God. He wants us to know Him—and He uses words for that!