Scar Tales

I have a few scars on my body: one on my forehead from tackling a church pew at 3 years old, one on my hand from catching a broken ceramic bowl and getting 10 stitches, and a couple on my right knee from arthroscopic surgery many years ago. My wife has her own collection ranging from c-sections to cancer-related surgeries, and nerve reattachment in her finger.

Our body's scars tell personal stories of accidents, healing, and recovery. Our emotional scars do the same even though they may not be as outwardly visible. Sometimes our inward scars scare us and we try to hide them instead of confronting them and then telling our story of healing and recovery. For our own growth and the benefit of others, we have to not be afraid to tell those stories. Our testimony can encourage others and speak of the healing power of God in our lives. They help describe who we are and the journey we have taken to be at this point. We can help people in similar circumstances endure the hard parts of recovery and realize that they aren't alone in the painful part of their journey.

My scars don't inhibit me like they used to, but they do remind me of the path I've taken to get here and the power that is found in sharing recovery.

Background Story

I will admit that I am an unashamed people watcher. I can sit contentedly in a coffee shop and pass the time observing the people that pass through. It feeds the curious part of me that wonders what their story is. I wonder why they are there in that moment and how they have arrived at this stage of life. That might seem a little heavy for a person that is simply stopping in for a cup of java, but it's just part of who I am. I am
fascinated with the concept of stories and how they have shaped us into who we are today. I think that we have neglected the art of storytelling and as a result we diminish other's history and the significance of their tale. It's really a shame because we fail to explore who we are when we negate the power of our stories.

Imagine the shift in authentic community if we were willing to not only share our personal testimony, but to passionately engage in listening to other people's as well.

Story Time: Happily Ever After

A good writer knows that the end of a story can either be a letdown or a fulfilling, satisfying conclusion. In the same manner, we need to pay careful attention to the end of our own story. While we don't know exactly when that will be we can still work to maintain the right habits that will speak well of our character. We can finish strong by bringing the right daily focus to our marriages, parenting, Christian faith, and career calling. It's a reflection of a our daily discipline of working to close well instead of leaving things handled poorly or feeling incomplete. Even when things are rough in the beginning & middle of our story a solid finish will positively influence others and be a tale worth retelling. 

Story Time: The Plot Thickens

We should be willing to share our story, but we should also give careful consideration to what the details of that story will be. While we can't do anything to change what has already been written, we can decide what the story will say in the future. Our concern shouldn't just be about our reputation, but more about our character that is being developed and revealed as we keep scripting our life through our decisions. 

What story will our lives tell our children? It's one that will continue to speak over them throughout their adulthood. What story will be told of our leadership and compassionate care for others? It will be a perpetual chronicle of our life decisions that reaches farther and impacts more people than we recognize. 

The willingness to share our autobiography must be matched by a desire to see that testimony stand with strength and integrity.

Story Time: Tell It Well

I am a fan of a good story. A book that spins a good tale will find it's way onto my "to-read-again" list (and that doesn't happen often.) A movie that captures my emotions and challenges my thoughts will be added to my collection. I love to hear other people tell the story of how they came to be who they are & where they are today. Sadly, I don't think we stop frequently enough to tell these tales because we forget how significant they are.

Our stories are powerful and we should be willing to share them. For the greatest impact we need to work to develop the art of story-telling. Nothing is as powerful as a personal tale of redemption, sorrow, tragedy, and triumph. When we are passionately engaged with other people in the middle of their story it develops genuine community. It can be a lost art in the middle of our social networking Twitterific lifestyle. 

Are you willing to tell your tale? When it's intended for mutual benefit and not individual bragging, it's worth the energy.

What Have They Heard?

I've always been fascinated with the story of Rahab from the Bible. She was a prostitute and was redeemed from that to become part of the human lineage of Jesus. An incredible story of grace, second chances and what can happen when you put your trust in God.

As she helped the spies from Israel avoid capture and certain death, she begged them to spare her family. She told the two spies that she had protected them because she had heard of the power of God. There is no evidence that she had experienced it herself-just that she had heard of who God was and how He worked in His people. That alone inspired her to want to follow Him.

What do people in our own communities know about our God? Not those that are sitting in a church every Sunday, but the people that are disengaged, discouraged, de-churched or apathetic. What do they hear and know about who our God is? We tend to blame people for misinformation and incorrect presuppositions about our King, but perhaps the fault lies in us not clearly communicating who He is to the world around us.

Let's make it a priority to have our God spoken well of in our cities. That's only going to happen when His people live in peace with each other and are passionate about meeting needs and reaching the lost.