Jesus was a storyteller.
When he walked this earth, he told stories and he delighted in and lifted up the stories of his people.
When he wanted people to know about God’s activity in the world, he told a story (Luke 8).
When he sensed that people were showing favoritism that did not reflect how God created them to be, he told a story. (Luke 14)
When he wanted to share about God’s extravagant love, he told a story (Luke 15).
When he wanted to help people learn about prayer, he told a story. (Luke 18)
When he wanted to encourage people to share of their God-given gifts, he told a story. (Luke 19).
Jesus told stories within the Jewish culture that revolved around storytelling. These storytelling traditions are captured throughout the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. It is important to reflect on ways our modern culture, influenced by enlightenment thinking of reason and deduction, has lost the art of storytelling that is actually foundational to our faith in God:
Parker Palmer, educator and activist, writes:
“Instead of telling our valuable stories, we seek safety in abstractions, speaking to each other about our opinions, ideas, and beliefs rather than about our lives. Academic culture blesses this practice by insisting that the more abstract our speech, the more likely we are to touch the universal truths that unite us. But what happens is exactly the reverse: as our discourse becomes more abstract, the less connected we feel. There is less sense of community among intellectuals than in the most 'primitive' society of storytellers."
The late Sir Jonathan Sacks, Emeritus Chief Rabbi, has quoted the late Ellie Wiesel who said,
"God created Man because God loves stories." Sacks goes on to say "We are the stories we tell about ourselves.... We come to know who we are by discovering of which story or stories we are a part."
Learning To Tell Our Stories
On 4th Sundays, some of us have been learning how the tool of storytelling can help us as we learn more about ourselves and each other. We invite you to learn with us on Fourth Sundays between now and July. Here is information.
During this season of Lent, we take time to receive the life altering story of the cross – a story of love poured out to heal us individually and communally. The love story of the cross is our story of hope:
Christ brought us together through his death on the cross. The Cross got us to embrace, and that was the end of the hostility. Christ came and preached peace to you outsiders and peace to us insiders. He treated us as equals, and so made us equals. Through him we both share the same Spirit and have equal access to the Father. Ephesians 2: 16-18
During this time of Lent – as we walk together toward the Cross, we invite you to take time to explore your own story and pause to hear others.
What is the story you cannot help but tell?
As you listen to others, what are the stories (sometimes underneath what is being said), that they are longing to tell?
May we grow as a community that listens and tells our stories. We are all walking stories. Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith (Heb. 12:2) is with us as we learn to tell our stories and learn to hold another’s story.
Invitation
Spend time with your story; spend time with Jesus’ stories, listen to the stories around you. During this season of Lent, receive your part in God’s big story of gracious love.
A prayer by Caroline Lu
Guide me Jesus, the Christ
Who knows so much
Remembers from where I’ve come
The stories that I hold
Guard my thoughts, actions, and ways
That easily run astray
Give me your peace
That knows none other
Be my wise voice
Attune my ears to you
As I sit in quiet
Amidst the whispering breath
--
Caroline