Our story… for the benefit of others – Mary-Anne Rulfs
I was captivated by Bishop John’s closing comments in his sermon last week. He wrapped up his reflection on the stories that Jesus told as parables – awkward, challenging, often paradoxical stories – that challenged the original hearers, and challenge hearers today, to step back and take stock about what really matters. To consider what it means to be fully human, and to respond to Jesus’ invitation, “Come – follow me”.
Would it be a better world if there was more forgiveness?
If the lowly are given a hand up? A world that is more mixed … would that be a better world?
“It might depend on who you are!”, Bishop John said.
“And isn’t that an uncomfortable thought for some?”
He encouraged us to make decisions in the weeks and months ahead where this kind of world might be a little more manifest – the Kingdom of Heaven a little more present.
“And what if we were a bit more parabolic in our telling of what the good news is?”
That is, how might we tell the truth about the kingdom of heaven
more by story than creeds, beliefs or facts?
Children get that.
Young people get that.
Why are we sometimes slow to own our own story and share it for the benefit of others?
I was chatting with someone who visited our 9.30 service a few weeks ago. Having only recently returned to church, he had an important story to share. He grew up in the Catholic church and was grateful for his formation in Christian faith in that tradition. For some years he didn’t participate in the life of the church at all – it didn’t feel relevant any longer. Then Christian work colleagues, (belonging to an Anglican church in the city where he was working), inspired him to re-connect with a church community simply because of their generosity, sense of purpose and hope. The way they lived and related to one another and to others was attractive. This person really noticed, and more than that, felt these things were missing from his own life.
And so he decided to seek out a new church community!
How wonderful that he should turn up to our church in Robina and I should hear this story. And be encouraged. I hope you are encouraged too. We never know who is observing the lives we live, and listening to the life-and-faith stories we tell through our words, actions and attitudes. Unbeknown to us, our story can become another step in the pathway to faith for someone else.
Last week Brad and I saw Sound of Freedom at its final screening at HOTA. Some of you have seen Sound of Freedom, and your enthusiastic encouragement to go see it was a big reason for us choosing to go! (It’s still screening in other cinemas if you get the chance.)
This compelling true story about an American government agent who quits his job to embark on a dangerous mission to rescue hundreds of children from traffickers is not so much a parable as raw story-telling, very much for the benefit of others.
The film sets the scene so we can better understand how corrupt and greedy traffickers can be, and how devastating the experience of living in slavery can be for a child. The catch line of the movie is this:
“God’s children are not for sale!”
This statement reflects life in the kingdom of heaven. Every human being is a child of God, loved and known and of immense worth to God. No child is meant to be a commodity, bought and sold for profit and exploitation of any kind. The actions of Tim Ballard and those who worked with him to facilitate freedom from slavery and abuse and reveal truth about the value of human life have been brought to life for people all around the world through cinematic story-telling .
(Keep an eye open for one of the key character in the film who experiences a radical experience of redemption. This ‘conversion’ powerfully equips him for a pivotal role in the mission to free the children.)
The final story I would like to tell you is from another recent conversation. A lady said she had a tricky question – would I mind if she asked it? “Tricky questions are my favourites!” I said, smiling. “Well”, she said. “Adam and Eve were white, weren’t they. Then where did dark skinned people come from?”
I took a breath and wondered how I might respond with the truth as I understand it without undermining her whole worldview in one blow. “Well,” I said slowly. “Two people created from the earth in a garden in the Middle East would have had dark skin … which raises the question, “Where did white people come from?”
She was quite startled by this, but stayed with me.
What if these primeval origin stories tell us far more than concrete facts?
What if, embedded in the creation stories from Genesis 1 and 2 are unmistakable truths that are at the heart of our life in God?
That God formed us for relationship. Faithful relationship.
That we are known and loved by God, formed in a way that God calls “very good”.
That redeeming broken love and trust is what God does.
That God’s very self is a being of relationship and interconnectedness.
That the world is beautiful. And we are gifted the capacity to appreciate its beauty. And safeguard it.
We talked further and her eyes lit up and she smiled. “I think we are all created as children of God, equal in God’s sight.”
“Is that what you think?” I asked her.
“Yes, that’s what I feel in my gut.”
“Well, go with that then. Let your gut guide you.”
The power of story to shape lives and form faith is inherent in the overarching story of the church and Christian community from its very beginnings. Our scriptures, the experiences of our lives and the gift of language create meaning through all kinds of story-telling genre.
How will you tell your story this week? How will the story of your words and actions offer hope, encouragement and meaning to people you encounter? And how might you find fresh meaning and encouragement as you engage in the stories of others, just as Jesus did?
Grace and peace,
Mary-Anne