by Nicole King
There are probably an infinite number of reasons that we tell stories. As humans, it seems to be something we are hard-wired to do. There’s just something engrossing about narrative; a good story captures our full attention in the way nothing else can.
I’ve always loved reading good fiction and grew up spending countless hours absorbed in one book or another (preferably with a cold can of Coke at hand). It wasn’t until about five years ago, though, that I began to understand the importance of why we as Christians should be sharing our personal stories. I was reading the Psalms in the NIV version when I was struck by this verse: “Let the Redeemed of the Lord tell their story (Psalm 107:2).” Even more simply put, the ESV translation reads, “Let the Redeemed of the Lord say so.”
Wait a minute . . . God actually tells us to share our story? This is important to Him? Why?
So I started investigating. And again, while there are no doubt scores of good reasons for us to tell stories, I’ve narrowed down 3 reasons that stand out to me from Scripture: to learn, to remember, and to glorify God.
To learn.
One of the beautiful things about a good story is that we get to experience a whole range of emotions without actually leaving our seats. As we identify with different characters, we take on some of their feelings as our own—we empathize. Under that mantle of shared emotion, we journey together and along the way, we learn.
Empathy is powerful. Jesus often taught by using stories with relatable characters. Rather than outright tell people that they should be willing to forgive because they have themselves been forgiven, he tells a story about a servant. This guy was forgiven an enormous debt, then turned around and ruthlessly demanded pocket change from a fellow worker. Who isn’t outraged by that story?? To describe God’s love for us, and His joy over our repentance, Jesus told a story about a father and his prodigal son. The list goes on.
The prophets used stories. When David was caught in adultery, Nathan confronted him by telling a story about two men and a lamb. The righteous anger David felt upon hearing how the greedy and wealthy man took from the man who had nothing was exactly what he needed to feel in order to appreciate the gravity of his own transgression. Oftentimes, we can see things more clearly in the lives of others than we can in our own. Empathy is an effective way to open our eyes to the truth.
Life is short. Our days and experiences are limited, but God has given us the gifts of community and empathy. We don’t have to learn everything the hard way. Listen to one another. Ask questions. Get real with your small group and talk about what you’re going through. Learn.
To remember.
Another reason we should be willing to tell our story is to remember. The Jewish people were told to remember the things that God had done and to talk about them so that future generations would also know. When Joshua led the Israelites into the Promised Land, they had to contend with the Jordan River, which was overflowing its banks. What did God do? He stopped the waters, allowing them to cross safely on dry land. Then He told them to take twelve stones, one for each tribe, and set them up as a reminder. “When your children ask in time to come, ‘What do those stones mean to you?’ then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord.” (Joshua 4:6-7).
You’d think that a miracle of this scale would be easy enough to remember. I wonder if any of them felt a little insulted that God was assuming they’d forget without a bunch of giant rocks. But our Creator knows us well, doesn’t He? We tend to forget, or at least I know I do. As much as I want to think that I’ve learned my lesson for good this time, I run out and make the same mistakes all over again. I lose focus on who God is and everything He’s done for me and get mired in fear and doubt.
Part of the reason we tell stories is to remember. As we testify to what God has done in our lives, we strengthen our faith for the next trial or temptation.
To glorify God. (It’s not about us.)
A third reason we share our story is to bring glory to God. If you read the Bible looking for a hero, you’re bound to be disappointed. It’s not until Jesus enters the story that we see a person who never falters or disappoints. For the Israelites, the heroes of their faith (Abraham, Moses, David) were not portrayed as heroic, perfect men, but rather as fundamentally flawed people who were at times afraid, dishonest, disobedient, and worse, but who all had in common a faithful God who worked through them according to His pleasure and good will.
Similarly, when we talk about things that God is doing in our lives, we aren’t trying to bring glory and attention to ourselves. Quite the opposite—we need to be truthful and admit that we were afraid, or angry, or jealous, or petty. We need to be willing to go back and re-live some difficult and uncomfortable moments, because our tendency is to gloss over them once they are in the past. (Not to mention the temptation to make ourselves look good.) But if we forget the pain we forget the deliverance. And that’s the point, isn’t it? Our God redeems and He delivers. Your story is ultimately about Him.
Psalm 107 describes four different situations where people were in trouble. Some of it they brought on themselves, while other parts seem circumstantial, but no matter the reason for their distress, the result was always the same. They called on the Lord and He answered. He delivered them.
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. – Psalm 107:6
Telling your story doesn’t have to be scary or difficult. It can be as simple as sharing with someone the answers to this question: When and how has the Lord rescued you?
Go ahead, give it a shot. Open up a discussion at your next small group meeting, or make a point of sharing some of your rescue stories with your close friends or family. A little rehearsal and practice will make it easier to share some of the same stories with co-workers, neighbors, or fellow soccer moms when the moment is right.
Whether it’s to learn, to remember, or to bring glory to God . . . Let the Redeemed of the Lord tell their story!