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GRACE BLOGS COLLECTION

We are Made for More

by

Grandfather — grandson

DUDLEY HALL -- Five-year old Sam and his dad were on a hike through some pretty thick woods. Sam began aggressively stomping on the briars in their path.

"What are you doing, Sam?' asked his dad.

"The man is going out of me," he declared.

"Have you being talking to Papa?" his dad wanted to know.

"Yes, Papa told me that when I do hard things without whining, the man comes out in me.

A few days earlier Sam and I (as you may have guessed -- I'm Papa) went on an outing together. Before sleep one night he wanted to hear another scary story.

"Have I told you about the time my older sister took me on a deep trek through the woods for a picnic? Well, we found an old holly tree that was hanging out over a stream. We carved our initials in it, and it was always a special place for me."

Sam wanted us to do the same the next morning. So, we dressed in our hiking boots and grabbed a water bottle. The trail was rough. Sam began to whine as the sharp bushes and briars clawed at his clothing. That was the setting for the "man story" Sam was remembering on the hike with his dad. I told him how God created humans to be his partners on earth. They were designed and assigned to subdue the earth. They were made to overcome whatever obstacles they faced in fulfilling their assignment. "You are male and even though you are young, you have a man's design in you. As you face obstacles and find a way to overcome them, the man inside you comes out." Sam began to take delight in finding ways over or around the blockades to our goal. By the way, we did find a suitable tree, and our initials are carved there for a memorial.

When we as members of society lose the sense that we are created by God for a particular purpose, we find it easy to whine and make excuses. We can even make a case for abandoning the journey and going back to comfort. So many opportunities to solve the problems in front of us are aborted simply because it is painful or inconvenient. We keep the man or woman inside from growing. In times of trouble we find ourselves paralyzed. In old age can we find ourselves still whining.

We are created to partner with God on earth. What a privilege! He is the invisible but not silent partner. He has all the resources necessary to get the job done. He is not dependent on other sources or circumstances. He leads us headlong into problems because he loves doing for us what looks like can't be done. He delights in opening the sea for his people to cross. He has no problem dropping bread from heaven. He provides a donkey for the Messiah to ride. He has an unused tomb for Jesus to spend the weekend in before his resurrection. He hasn't given up on planet earth just because there are big problems. We are designed for this. We can stop trying to escape, stop trying to just survive, and instead put our energy and focus on finding out what our partner wants to do.

Jesus said that his sheep hear his voice. His sheep are those who have trusted him alone for their reconciliation to God the Father. Having been reconciled, they again hear the plans and purposes of their God-Savior-Partner. They are as secure in the Father's love as Jesus the eternal Son is. They know that nothing can snatch them from the Father's hand. As they embrace each other, they will permeate the earth with his kingdom. There is much to be done and no time to whine. We are made for more.

Short Stories

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Family Storytelling

DUDLEY HALL -- The mother was distraught. She had grown up in a large family who enjoyed meal times together. She remembered the happy bonding time around the table as each family member eventually told stories about their daily experiences. She had dreamed of her own children having a similar experience, but it just wasn't happening.

At first they brought their cell phones to the table. That was soon prohibited. Now they just sat and ate with very little chitchat. Any contribution to the conversation was usually short and often terse. They were good kids. They just didn't elaborate. Maybe they have the "Twitter-virus." You know -- everything must be said within 140 characters. Let's face it. You can't tell much of a story in 140 characters.

Life without stories is life without context, and stories that satisfy the human need for belonging need room for development. There must be a setting with main characters. Some issue or conflict to be solved supplies the mystery and the meaning. The plot doesn't have to be long, but even short plots have some rising action. And of course there must be a climax and the resulting resolution.

Without interlocking stories, life's experience is just a blur. It is then easy to reduce our lives to a search for moments of pleasure, avoiding anything inconvenient or complex.

We learn to see the stories in life by listening to storytellers. Young children love the bedtime stories. Older youth gain from hearing parents, uncles and aunts tell their stories. I remember fondly sitting on the porch listening to my dad and his friends tell stories of their experiences. Some were so funny I would lose my breath laughing. Others were serious, but it was easy to see the lessons even when no one pointed them out.

I discovered that some people are better storytellers than others, but they weren't always the ones with the most interesting stories. There was a lasting impression: Everyone has a story and it is worth hearing. Perhaps we could regain some lost ground in relationships if we took the time to think about our own story, listen to others tell their story, and read the Bible as the story that connects all the other stories with meaning and purpose.

My parents took me to church as a child. Actually, my first memory of church comes from a class called "Story Hour." It was taught by "Miss Lily," an older lady who lived alone as a widow. She brought cookies, and we sat around her rocking chair as she told us Bible stories. For a long time I considered the Bible as a book full of good stories, but I didn't see how they all connected -- except they all had moral lessons that were supposed to teach me to be a better boy. It was a great delight when I finally saw that the whole thing was a story. It is the "meta-story" that makes sense of all stories.

The story begins a long time ago in a beautiful garden far away where God's two favorites live and work. However, there was a serpent there. (See the main characters?) The serpent tempted the pair, and they succumbed and fell out of the garden and their open relationship with God. (See the conflict?) The story then proceeds through a long series of events leading to God's Son coming to Earth to restore the humans back to God. (Rising action?) When the God-man arrives instead of being welcomed, he is scorned and eventually crucified. However, in a stunning climax, he doesn't stay dead, but is resurrected to claim ultimate victory over the serpent and bring just reconciliation between God and his people.

There is no story like it in the whole world! There are substitutes and imitations, but this story alone brings the resolution that all people everywhere long to find.

That is our story. Adam and Eve were the first parents. We are connected to them and all those who followed. Some had terrible experiences. Some had great ones. They all combine to reveal the true nature of God, the source of trouble, and the solution to our alienation. Knowing this story connects us to history, humanity and eternity. Life without stories is life without context.

Scary Stories and the Big Story

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The Storyteller

DUDLEY HALL -- When our grandson Sam was about three years old, he often climbed into my lap and begged for me to tell him a "scary story."

Now, for Sam a scary story did not necessarily include ghosts, wild animals or fearful situations. He just wanted drama, action, surprises and a good ending. He was easily bored with moral lessons and statistics. Even being young, he was already demonstrating the need that we humans have for stories.

We live our own stories. We listen to the stories of others. Even history itself is a big story.

Our culture has been fighting about stories for years. The "Moderns" told their story in terms of rational order. A fruit of the Renaissance was a heightened appreciation for what could be proven with the scientific method. The test tube became the final arbiter of truth. When needing to verify a truth claim, Moderns like to say, "Science tells us."

But the modernist's story didn't produce the fruit it promised and some people who reacted to it were called, "Post-Modernists." Some of their spokesmen liked to use an interesting phrase to define their story. "The incredulity of the meta-narrative" was often used in philosophical discussions and it sounds pretty impressive. It means that there just might not be a big story. If there is one, who can be trusted to tell it? Who gets to say what is right and wrong?

Maybe there are just lots of individual stories. For instance, if Mary decided to be sexually active before marriage and Lori chose to wait, neither is right or wrong. Each story stands alone. Where the Moderns repeated, "Science says," the Post-moderns declared: "Who says?"

A large portion of today's society is so fascinated with the individual's story; there is no appreciation for a bigger one. We live in one big "selfie." The problem is that we actually are a part of a bigger story, and our souls know it quite well. Even though we take up the whole frame in the picture, we aren't big enough to satisfy the deepest longings of our heart. We are the creations of the Master Storyteller. The need for story is stamped upon our conscience.

God not only thought up the grandest narrative of all but he also brought it to life. It is an adventure mystery with drama beyond human imagination, and the climax is not only surprising, but transforming to those who hear it. The hero is revealed in the most unusual twist imaginable. One clue: He is a Lamb/Lion.

There are alternative stories that use some of the elements of the grand story, but tell of something less. These tend to fixate on humanity's role, with Jesus either being ignored or relegated to a supporting position. Emphasis is placed on personality, talent, vision, strategy and knowledge. If God's Son is included at all, he is seen as an assistant in reaching our destiny. His place as Lord of all creation is not showcased.

Bookstores swell with books that tell us how to get better individually. We can lose weight, improve our attitude, dress in style, get rich, live long and secure our legacy. Pulpits that encourage us to think positively and behave nicely draw crowds who are hoping to find a way to be successful, gain blessings and avoid pain. In all the competing narratives, humans seem to be both the subject and the source.

The grand story actually does include you. But it is not primarily about what you have done good or bad, what you should do, or what you can do if you try harder. In fact one of the great surprises is that you are not the central figure at all. It is about who God is and what he has done. Oh, you do play a role right along with the famous ones in history like Abraham, Abel, Noah, Moses, David, Isaiah and Paul. Your story is part of the big story and it is being recorded for eternity.

It works like this. You hear the story and gain a new perspective of reality. That new perspective allows new choices that cause new actions. You discover what God has done for you, is doing in you, and will accomplish through you. As you live in partnership with God, who is the source of all, you tell the story.

Think! Who is the most genuine Christian you know? Ask to hear his/her story. Watch their eyes light up. Listen. You will hear the big story behind the personal story.

It is time to climb into the lap of the Father and let him tell you the scary story. You will come back time after time. Each time you hear it, you will want to know more. You will inevitably begin to connect your story to it. And strangely -- you will find that you cannot stop telling it. It is just too good to be kept a secret. There are millions who have not yet heard the story that makes all stories make sense. They wait in hope. Everyone likes a "scary" story.

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