From Matthew 13 (The Message):
The disciples came up and asked, “Why do you tell stories?”
Jesus replied, “You’ve been given insight into God’s kingdom. You know how it works. Not everybody has this gift, this insight; it hasn’t been given to them. Whenever someone has a ready heart for this, the insights and understandings flow freely. But if there is no readiness, any trace of receptivity soon disappears. That’s why I tell stories: to create readiness, to nudge the people toward receptive insight.
Stories have the power to shape our lives — are we allowing the true story of the Gospel to nudge us toward readiness and receptive insight?
As we reflect on our own storyline, with Jesus as the author and perfecter of our faith, think about the following questions (you may want to take out a sheet of paper, draw a line representing the years of your life, and mark down these points):
- What are some of the major events that anchor your story? Birth, graduation, marriage, jobs, other significant faith milestones, etc.
- Who are the main characters? How have they shaped your life? How has your relationship with them changed over time?
- Are there any turning points or plot twists? How have those events change your life in surprising or unexpected ways?
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