The Lord is Like My Probation Officer

It’s now over 50 years since Carl F. Burke, pulled together a collection of retold bible stories under the title “God is for Real, Man”. It’s over 25 years since I found a copy in a second hand book shop in the UK.

Working with some pretty troubled inner city kids, in New York, Burke told Bible stories and got the youths to tell them back in their own words.

This definitely wasn’t translation that would pass the rigorous checks of Wycliffe or the United Bible Societies, but this was transformation.

The kids changed the stories, but the stories also changed the kids.

50 years later and some people are saying that there may be as may as 800 languages spoken in New York. Other major global cities may have similar numbers.

Everyone should be able to hear the real stories of the Bible clearly in their own language. Many can if they know where to look for Bibles and resources.

If you want to find a copy of “God is for Real, Man” you might need to look on Amazon, Ebay, or even in the back of your church book shelves.

Here’s a sample…

The Lord is Like My Probation Officer… Psalm 23

The Lord is like my Probation Officer,

He will help me,

He tries to help me make it every day.

He makes me play it cool

And feel good inside of me.

He shows me the right path

So I’ll have a good record,

And he’ll have one too.

Because I trust him,

And that ain’t easy,

I don’t worry too much about

What’s going to happen.

Just knowing he cares about

Me helps me.

He makes sure I have my food

And that Mom fixes it.

He helps her stay sober

And that makes me feel good

All over.

He’s a good man, I think,

And he is kind;

And these things will stay

With me.

And when I’m kind and good

Then I know the Lord

Is with me like the Probation Officer.

–God is for Real, Man, by Carl F. Burke, Chaplain of Erie County Jail, Buffalo, New York; Association Press, New York; 1966 by National Board of Young Men’s Christian Association.