Telling Our Stories
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So you also, when you have done all that you were ordered to do, say, `We are worthless slaves; we have done only what we ought to have done!'" -Luke 17:10
I’m not sure the average modern listener would be comfortable with Jesus’ illustration this Sunday, particularly the phrase “worthless slaves.” He is telling a story to illustrate the need to be humble, but it is not the kind of illustration we would choose to have Jesus use, truth be told. His illustration reminds us that his context 2000 years ago was quite different in some significant ways than our own.
When I come across a story that is hard to relate to in my own context, I play with paraphrasing it using a different illustration that is more familiar to me. I’ll show you what I mean:
"Who among you would say to your new college intern who has just come in from filing and delivering coffee on the third floor, `Come here at once and chair our board meeting'? Would you not rather say to her, `I’d like you to work with Vanessa here, who is running the PR campaign and see what she’s doing to forward our latest project. Then you can come back here with her to sit in on our meeting.'? Do you promote and praise an intern for serving coffee and filing? Of course not, but remember, when it comes to our faith, we’re all interns with much to learn, so when you have done any good work set before you to do, say to God, `I am only your intern and can take no credit for what you have given me the opportunity and ability to do.'"
I like to use my imagination with Bible stories in this way to juice out what they might be saying to me in a more understandable way, using a more relatable story. Who knows if my quick paraphrase above is accurate in capturing what Jesus meant or is a ‘correct’ way to think about the passage. But it’s nonetheless good food for thought, and God speaks to us in infinite ways - through the stories in the bible and through all our own stories, too.
I’m looking forward to hearing how the Rev. Leaf Seligman interprets our readings this Sunday as our guest preacher. Leaf is well known in our area for her work in Restorative Justice and for her message about the importance of telling our stories and listening deeply to the stories of others. (you can watch her Ted talk on the power of stories to connect us here.) Bridget Hansel has been telling me about Leaf since I arrived in Keene, so I’ve finally taken her up on her suggestion to invite Leaf to St. James. And I think it is well timed, because as we embark on a path of deeper listening to one another’s stories through our “Invite, Welcome and Connect” project, I hope Leaf’s words will nourish us on the way. Hope to see you Sunday.
