WATCHWORD:
16 Then the eleven disciples left for Galilee, going to the mountain where Jesus had said they would find him. 17 There they met him and worshiped him—but some of them weren’t sure it really was Jesus! 18 He told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and earth. 19 Therefore go and make disciples in all the nations,[b] baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and then teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you; and be sure of this—that I am with you always, even to the end of the world.”[c] Matthew 28:16-20
15 And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. 16 Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned. Mark 16:15-16
6 And I am praying that you will put into action the generosity that comes from your faith as you understand and experience all the good things we have in Christ. Philemon 6:1
Meditation:
Are You a Storyteller?
Our good friend, Mac McKinley, has been a storyteller all his life. He uses his gifts to communicate humor and interesting ideas, all with a moral, all with a lesson to be learned. For many years, Mac journeyed, on a weekly basis, to the children’s cancer ward of Lutheran Hospital where he shared his stories and amazed the children with his magic act. He has shared his talent from the pulpit as a lay minister and has given the children’s message with his stories. His is a talent we admire.
The truth of the matter is this: We are all storytellers. In our everyday lives we communicate in stories, in narratives that tell of events and feelings and happenings. We tell others of our children’s accomplishments, of interesting things that we have read, of travel experiences, of special moments that we treasure and wish to share, etc. It is through these stories that we reach out to others in support, in comfort, in fun, in communion. And it is through the telling of our stories that we communicate who we are, what is important to us, and our love for others.
Not long ago I came across a Storytellers Prayer that says, in part, that God has called us all be to storytellers, to be trailblazers, to be “fools for Christ’s sake…bearing life’s absurdities and puncturing our seriousness and grandiosity.” The prayer goes on to say that we are called to be “weavers”, tracing, stretching and connecting disconnected lives; and “poets” and artists, illuminators of inner space, heralding the presence of God in our very lives. The prayer concludes with this: “Lord, you lavish gifts on all whom you call, that we may be catalysts of your kingdom in the world.”
Mac, the storyteller, reaches out and touches the lives of children who are vulnerable and caught up in the cruelty of the cancer treatments that could save their lives. In those minutes with the storyteller, as he weaves his tale, the children respond with smiles and laughter and their world gets just a bit brighter. There is power in his stories.
Maya Angelou has observed that “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” How you made them feel by sharing your story.
Yes, we are all storytellers, and weavers, and gardeners, and poets. We are God-gifted in diverse ways, yet, strangely, the seeds of our talents have common characteristics, they reflect our humanity. Our stories have the power to resurrect memories, to touch others, to relive special times. Those stories also describe the teller, that person’s characteristics and beliefs, what is important to them. At the heart, our stories communicate a life filled with meaning and purpose.
Does your story have power? Maybe it’s like the seed that is planted and only later will something good be produced. Maybe your story will encourage another story, and another, and thus the dragonfly effect is born. Does your story have power? You bet. Maybe it is time for you to tell it…
Bulletin Board:
An apology – For the use of the word “overbearing” in yesterday’s Watchword. That was inappropriate considering what a good friend the un-named Christian is.
Stan Escott
Morning Prayer:
Lord, may nothing separate me from You today. Teach me how to choose only Your way today so each step will lead me closer to You. Help me walk by the Word and not my feelings. Help me to keep my heart pure and undivided. Protect me from my own careless thoughts, words, and actions. And keep me from being distracted by MY wants, MY desires, MY thoughts on how things should be. Help me to embrace what comes my way as an opportunity… rather than a personal inconvenience. And finally, help me to rest in the truth that great is your love for me (Psalm 86:13). You already see the ways I will fall short and mess up. But right now, I consciously tuck Your whisper of absolute love for me into the deepest part of my heart. I recognize Your love for me is not based on my performance. You love me warts and all. That’s amazing. Help me to tell this amazing story you have planted on my heart. The most amazing part is that the Savior of the world would desire a few minutes with me each morning. Lord, help me to forever remember what a gift it is to sit with You like this. Amen.
