Matthew 13:10-14 The disciples came up and asked, “Why do you tell stories?”He 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. This is why I tell stories.
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. In their present state, they can stare till doomsday and not see it, or listen till they’re blue in the face and not get it.
Jesus told stories to prepare the hearts of his listeners so they could hear the truth and understand it. Our lives can tell a story when people wonder why we spend so much time in our churches.
When our commitment to serving and praying shows outsiders this is something worthwhile for us. Our commitment to prayer, reading our bible, and living our lives according to biblical principles also tell a story.
Reaching out to others, establishing a relationship, a friendship, will show caring love. People will see that we live differently. It prepares their hearts for hearing about a loving personal God.While our stories are mostly silent, showing how we are different, they are also meant to be told. In quiet moments with our friends, we share our stories. We show that we are not perfect but we are forgiven, we are loved, and there is a God who is perfect for us.
God uses our stories to bring others closer to him. We meet people. We become friends. Friends invite friends to fellowship together whether it is a church service or fun event. They become curious. Friends ask for our stories. We share our stories of who Jesus is and what he has done for us. Friends ask to meet this Jesus.
Our brokenness is in the process of being healed by God. In his grace and mercy, he uses this process to show others they can move forward too. That’s why I tell stories too. I tell stories with my life with my words, my Facebook, and my writing. And I can share my stories with my friends and new people I meet. I tell stories with my work, my duties, and my responsibilities. What is the story you are telling today?
