Tell Me a Story...
This entry is shorter than my other posts. This is the first article that I have submitted to my local newspaper for their clergy article section. I liked the material and figured that it would be a good post, even though it is short and I had to deal with the constraints of a word limit of just 500. I hope that you find it enlightening and encourages you to, in whatever way(s) you may choose, to share your story!
Stories captivate us. No doubt, several of you reading this article may be remembering how, just yesterday, you sat down with family and friends around a table with a seemingly endless amount of food… and in between bites of turkey, sweet potato casserole, and rolls, there was a regaling of stories both old and new. As new fits of laughter broke out at the most recent anecdote about your father and that embarrassing moment of when you were in grade school slips out (thank you, sibling…), you may recall feeling lost in the stories being told. No longer are you sitting down at a dinner table in your family home, but you are transported in mind and spirit, feeling as though you are either in on the action yourself or were experiencing it first hand yourself. At least, that’s what the best stories do… they reel you in hook, line, and sinker.
This experience proves something: stories have power. Stories have been told in all sorts of medium: worlds have been created in novels, superhumans find their way in comic books, and imaginations are stretched at the heroics witnessed on the silver screen. Then, of course, there is the recounting by storytellers, both novice and master, around dinner tables or campfires. What many fail to realize, however, is that we each have our own story, and every story is worth sharing.
There is a reality present within the church in North America: it is in decline. We can blame shifting cultural values, conflicting priorities, consumerism - even traveling sports leagues! - but I’m not sure that it’s any of those external things that are at the root of the decline. Instead, I believe it’s because Christians have not been sharing their stories of how Christ changed their lives. Think about it - if Christians were able to better articulate an answer to the question “Why Jesus?” do you believe that the church would be shrinking across the continent?
The story of Jesus is one of restoration and freedom, and Jesus’ story intersects in some way, shape, or form with the stories of everyone else. If we allow shame to keep us from sharing our part of the larger Jesus narrative, then we will be unable to share how we were freed by Christ from our own shameful past… a past that may well be reflected in the lives of our neighbors and co-workers who claim the title of “non-believer” as their own. Imagine the impact that you could make in the life of someone that you love if you stretched beyond your comfort zone in order to share your story of transformation as a result of Jesus Christ. Imagine that your story is the one that could bring your neighbor to the feet of Christ because they resonated with your honesty, authenticity, and your love for them…
Now go - share your story with someone in your life. It may just be the story that they needed to hear to begin their journey with Christ.
Photo Credit: https://aoshi.bandcamp.com/album/tell-me-a-story-the-fanfic-appreciation-album
