Last night the 59th annual Emmy Awards were on TV. While these awards shows are pretty self absorbed and remind us that we live in a celebrity driven culture, they also remind us of the power of stories. When these stories are depicted on film or TV the stories have a script. While the script usually provides the actors with all their dialogue and cues, sometimes the actors are given the opportunity to improvise within the parameters of the intent and direction of the story.
It seems that our role in God’s story has some of these elements of improvisation. In Scripture we are given an overall picture of what God is doing and what matters to Him. Inside this larger story we take up roles that must be in concert with these goals, but allow for the expression of who we are in the context of the setting of our lives. Let me illustrate.
We moved to Memphis in March and now live in a house on a cove with five other houses on it. Then there are houses on the corner as you come into our cove and one house whose back yard connects with ours. That’s eight other houses/families that we have regular interaction with in the normal course of our lives. We see them as we come and go, walk the dog, mow the grass, etc. If we are here as God’s ambassadors then we have an obligation to love these people with Christ’s love. God wants to touch their lives through us. But as we do this God allows us to be creative, using the gifts and interests that we have to connect with our neighbors. The “how” of doing this is pretty much up to us.
Our life story is full of “scenes” where we are called on to live out the direction and purposes of our Lord. There are family scenes, neighborhood scenes, work scenes, school scenes, even smaller scenes at the grocery store or the dry cleaners. The command of God to love people is clear. His heart to bless them through us is clear. It is up to us to creatively engage in each of these scenes.
My problem is that I am so caught up in the story I am writing for myself that I forget that I am part of God’s bigger story. And so I get in my car and head out to the next thing, driving by my neighbors day after day without ever taking the time to really get to know them and minister God’s love to them. My freedom to improvise has become a cloak to do my own thing, not what the director of THE STORY wants me to do. I need to get better at this. How about you? -- Danny
2 comments:
I have a tendency to put up the virtual mask of a happy-go-lucky, 'making lemonade' kinda guy who, for all intents and purposes, has it all together. So, when a co-worker asks, 'How are you today?' I smile through my mask and tell them everything's fine.... or 'Great and you? Hey, are you losing weight?'
I agree with you, Danny. We miss out on excellent opportunities to connect with our neighbors. Up until recently, I've pulled into the driveway and shut the garage behind me without more than a quick waive to my neighbors. However, a few months ago, I made friends with a woman who lives just a few doors down, and this relationship has been such a blessing! Not only do our kids love playing together and our husbands like each other, but she's a fun woman who is literally only a few steps away. Plus, God has already used that relationship for His bigger story. My neighbor struggles with some core beliefs about God and the Bible, and these subjects have come up many times in our discussions over dinner or while the kids are playing. My hope is that I can help her wrestle with some of those issues -- and that her candid push-back can help build my faith at the same time.
Now, if I could only get to know the other dozen families within walking distance of my house...
Post a Comment