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When people meet you, do they want a sequel?
By Jeremy | July 28, 2007
In a summer of sequels, I've been overcome once again by the power of story. The people who shape values and influence culture are the ones who tell stories best.
Painters, songwriters, filmakers, and athletes who evoke emotion, capture our imagination, and inspire us beyond ourselves win awards and impact generations. Politicians and statesmen, teachers and preachers, mothers and fathers -- the ones who aspire to greatness or just hope to matter have figured out how to communicate compelling stories. Journalists don't win pulitzers because they can explain the nuances of comparative economic theories, and engineers toil in obscurity until their creations connect with people's souls. But when they convey narrative and character and plot and meaning in a way that makes us feel something, they leave a legacy that endures.
All have in common a timeless truism, one which Jesus modeled by both his life and his manner of ministry.
Rather than retreat into heavenly glory, He degraded His divinity by assuming the likeness of created humanity; forsook His celestial throne to be born in a barn by an unmarried teenager; lived in an obscure community with a reputation for producing mediocrity; worked a blue color job until the age of thirty; roamed the desert serving strangers, and finally died the unjust death of a violent criminal, three years later. His preferred manner of preaching was to embed ordinary stories about pearls and seeds, and wheat and coins with spiritual truths. None were overtly “Christianâ€Â, and he rarely bothered to explain them. Instead, he allowed His parables and His life to speak for themselves, while challenging those with ears to hear, to hear His message. Throughout His ministry, he groomed “fishers of men†who would do likewise. That is, disciples who would live among those they served, smell their smells, relate to their realities, empathize with their pain, and meet their needs with compassion in a culturally relevant way – just like He did.(From "What Would Jay-Z Do?") St. John puts it this way in Revelation 12:11: "They overcame ... by the blood of the lamb and the word of their testimony." We don't make our mark by being able to answer every question, ace every exam, or exigete stuff for seminarians. We impact those around us by the power of the lives we live. We overcome adversity and make a difference by the stories our lives tell. When people meet you and feel your story, do they look forward to the sequel?processing loan courses accreditedaccrual loan nonlease loan acneloan alaska acpejim loan solutions bradley acquiredsole trader loan acquiring procedureplacement acquisition chicago loandevelopment loans acreage Map
Topics: culture, evangelism, faith, movies | 3 Comments »
July 28th, 2007 at 11:27 pm
Thanks for that for that post. That is an awesome way to think about the work we are doing while we are here on earth. If we can’t relate to people or get people to relate to us then we are wasting time and energy. Thanks for the food for thought! Be Blessed and Be a Blessing!
July 29th, 2007 at 11:14 pm
I’ve always said that everyone has a story and you really put it beautifully here by posing this question. I believe many people are not allowing themselves to truly embrace their life story for various reasons but I’ve come to a place in my life that I believe that successful leadership takes conscious development and requires being true to your life story. I do hope people want a sequel when they meet me as I do try to be an authentic person and try not to be like anyone else.
July 31st, 2007 at 1:39 pm
I think some people enjoy a mystery, or a comedy… my life seems to offer a little of both.
Did you see Jaws 2-Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water!
Some sequels are so scary, but it’s hard to resist our curiosity.
I think our impact as Salt of the Earth should be to create that attraction to a sequel presentation of Good News.