One of the most powerful ways of communication is through story. Our earliest traditions and beliefs in humanity have been passed down through tribal oracles - those entrusted to remember the stories of their people. Stories are means by which we convey our own deep seated hopes, frustrations and aspirations for ourselves and for humanity.
I'm always struck by the healing power of stories - in recovery movements one of the vehicles of healing is actually sharing your story. In meetings one shares about the broken places in their lives and their journey towards healing. Therapists are trained to help an individual decipher the real story from the perceived in a patient's life. Spiritual Directors help guide their fellow pilgrim to take note of the special twists and turns that emerge on their road to God.
Brian McLaren speaks alot about the stories we share in relation to Christianity. It has made me think about the analogies and metaphors that Jesus used in the parables and what metaphors we can use from our everyday lives to communicate the passion and power of the message itself. That God loves us unconditionally, that until we embrace that divine love for our own lives we are in a state of disrest in our loves body, mind and spirit. What would the shape of our stories take if we dared to think of the power of story.
Sunday, January 21, 2007
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