Story Time - The Importance of Narrative

We had Movie Night at church tonight.  We watched a really cool movie called, "The River Within."  I highly recommend it.  I was a little disappointed with the turn-out.  Not very many were there.  I'm definitely not one to begrudge anyone rest and relaxation on their sabbath.  But this would have been a great family activity.  My son is seven and he understood and was moved by this story, just as I was.

I think one of the difficulties is we don't think stories are all that important.  I mean, why should I take time out of my schedule for a story (movie), that I've never heard of.  In our culture, stories in their many forms (movies, fictional books, audio books, television, songs, and music videos) are seen purely as diversions.   They are simply meant to distract us from our all-to-complicated lives.

The problem with this is that our God is the God of the story.  Think about it.  How did you first learn about God?  Stories.

God's word is mostly made up of stories.
God wants us to know His story.
We remember important truths because of stories.
Jesus taught primarily using stories.
We first heard about grace and forgiveness through the story of Jesus.
We share our faith by telling our story.
Our story is part of THE story of redemption God is still telling.

I partly attribute my love of narrative to my great grandmother, Nora Johnson.  "Granny, tell me story."  And what stories they were.  Some had a little more "color" than my parents cared for.  But hey, old ladies don't have to care what anyone thinks.  I believe that as a culture we've lost a little of our story-telling prowess.  We still tell stories, around the water cooler at the office, or to our spouse when we get home.  "You'll never guess what happened to me today..." or "Let me tell you about the day I had..."  and "listen to what so-and-so did..."  But most of us ...

...don't know how to tell a story.
...don't know when to tell a story.
...don't tell the right stories.
...don't want to listen to other peoples stories.
...just aren't very good at it.

Did you ever meet someone who drove you crazy with their stories because you thought they would never get to the point?  Do your stories have a point?  Next time you are standing around the water cooler, think twice about the story you are about to tell.  Will it teach or edify?  Will it make you look good or someone else look stupid?  Or will it make God look good?  Will the hearer be better off for hearing it?  Stories can move hearts.  Stories can change lives.  Stories matter.

I want to explore this topic a little more in future posts.  But for now, I'm listening.  Tell me a story.