What Is Your Story?
Jesus was and is a great communicator. One of His favorite ways to communicate was by telling stories. Many of them are called parables. Parables are often described as earthly stories with a heavenly meaning.
During the years before His earthly ministry, Jesus encountered many people. He interacted with them as a child, a teenager, and as a twenty-something. Many of the parables He created were based on true stories; people He actually encountered.
Consider the parable in Luke 8:5 that begins, “A sower went out to sow…” Without a doubt He saw people at different times sowing seed and He created parables from that experience and used that to teach some powerful lessons.
If Jesus were walking around on the planet today and He encountered you, what story might He create from observing you? What would you like Him to say?
For quite some time now, the folks at the West Vigo Times have given me the opportunity to write articles. I have thought about, prayed over, and tweaked each one. I would like to read your story. Would you write it? Would you share it with me?
What would you say if you were limited to five hundred words? How would you capture the important moments in your life? What spiritual markers would you include?
You could start it like a parable. There once was a certain man who lived in West Terre Haute. Change the underlined words to make it fit you and then proceed.
What you will find is, at the beginning you are not quite sure what you are going to write. However, the more you write, the more the words will come; the more our Lord will give you the words to write.
If nobody else wants to read your story, I will read it. Who knows? It might be a fantastic read. It might even be the beginning of a book. They say everyone has at least one book inside them just waiting to be published.
Added to that, if you give me permission, I will share your story with others as the opportunity presents itself. It could change somebody’s life. Not to worry. If you do not want that kind of exposure, it will remain between you and me. Learn from Jesus the master storyteller. Follow His example. Write a story. Write your story.
Tomorrow is Palm Sunday. The triumphal entry of Jesus was not a parable. It was a real event. In retracing the steps of that very important day we find that just before He made that grand and glorious entry, He took the time to share some of His last parables. I have been reading some of those parables lately.
Take a chance. Grab some paper and a pen. Write your story. Have fun with it. Agonize over it if you have to. Then, share it with me. Why not begin right now?
