Human Beings are Storied Creatures

Do you have memories of sitting around a campfire, telling ghost stories? Maybe you told stories about maniacal creatures that roamed the woods at night, making noise and frightening campers? How important were those stories to you?

I remember my Granny telling us grandchildren about the fairies that would come out of the trees in early Spring. We couldn't wait to go to Granny's house in Spring to catch a glimpse of the elusive fairy, emerging from hibernation.

Are those stories wrong to tell children? I don't think so; I still foster belief in fairies with my children. Stories like that are important to my Irish roots; they help me remember who I am and where I came from - maybe they can even tell me where I am going. Someone could ask me, "Do you believe in those stories?" I guess my answer is a resounding, "Yes!"

I do believe in the stories that we tell around the campfire; I do believe in the fairy stories; I do believe it is important to pass on the stories that have nurtured my imagination. The stories need not be "true" in the scientific, factual sense; they are "true" in that they give meaning to my life.

It may sound odd, but the stories of the Bible can give the same life. For a long time, scientifically minded individuals and religiously minded individuals have fought over the significance of the Bible. Is it important to say the everything happened, exactly, word-for-word as it is written in the Bible? Or, is it more important to understand the meaning behind what the author is saying?

For example, there are 2 creation stories in the Bible (Genesis 1.1-2.4a and Genesis 2.4b-25). Which one should a literal interpretation of the Bible choose? They are, after all, two different stories from two different perspectives. Can a believer in God also believe in evolution?

Nathan Frambach reminds us in his 3rd chapter that one's faith is not based on "right belief" but on, what he calls, "God-spotting". I think what he means is the believer's ability to see God at work, even in the mundane things of life. The Bible contains the stories of faithful people who have experienced God at work in daily life. Their stories give examples of the humanness of faith. Sometimes people fail, sometimes people succeed, but the Bible was written in order to show the believers that God does not give up - even in failure, even in the pride-filled moments of success.

So, what is your story? What are your key stories, values and beliefs that others have passed on to you? Are they worth passing on? How will you do it?

Peace,
Tim