Comments on: Does the Story Matter?

By: Terry Hull

Terry Hull — Tue, 29 Nov 2005 12:26:27 +0000

Michael…Thanks for a great story. Both funny and profound. Funny? I don’t suppose it felt very funny at the time. But looking back on it now, it sure has its funny parts. All of us have been where you were: some place we shouldn’t have been, and in our foolishness, everything we did only dug us in a little deeper. What is it about hearing such a story in someone else’s life that brings a smile and warms a heart? The fact that we react to your story in that way is solid proof that the story matters. It is sad that someone would think that the story doesn’t matter. If that were true, you could put the whole Bible on an index card — a few verses from Exodus 20 would be enough. If that were true, there would be no need for the incarnation, because there would be no value in having a High Priest who has been tempted in all the same ways we are tempted every day. Thanks, Michael, for sharing your story of a father’s grace.

By: Drinking from the Fire Hydrant » He’s just telling stories

Drinking from the Fire Hydrant » He’s just telling stories — Tue, 29 Nov 2005 04:52:29 +0000

[...] One of the reasons I’m honored to be able to call Michael Spencer my friend (besides the obvious reason that he’s one of the few people around who reciprocate it to me) is that it’s rare to meet anyone who is as transparent as he is in his spiritual journey. When you meet some people, you think “there’s a person who has been through a lot,” but with Michael, it’s far more real, because you know he’s going through a lot all the time. That isn’t to say that Michael’s life is a mess; it certainly is, of course, but it’s not particularly messier than mine, or Billy Graham’s, or Martha Stewart’s, or Bill Clinton’s, or anyone else’s life. But with Michael, you don’t just hear vignettes about “the journey of life;” rather, you get to watch the wheels turn, see the mud splatter, and feel the breeze as the white lines zip past.Michael is good at telling stories, and the story he tells best is his own. So when he reacts to a comment from a reader that the “story and the journey do not matter,” you can bet Michael’s response is going to be good. And it is:But our stories do matter. Our journeys do matter. God brought us though those journeys. He brought us on the paths weâ€™ve travelled to give us our stories. Some of us have very painful, lonely stories that have caused us to want to find love from other people, and some of those relationships were stupid and wrong. Some of us donâ€™t do what is right very often, because weâ€™ve grown up around people who never taught us right and wrong. Some of us have cruel and mean aspects of our personalities, because of what weâ€™ve experienced that make us suspicious and distrustful of others. Some of us have suffered, and we do things out of fear of hurting again. Some of our stories include terrible things that we canâ€™t think about, and they affect us in ways we donâ€™t understand at all.As I read the rest of the post, I couldn’t help but think of how Fredrick Buechner once wrote in his book Telling the Truth that we only can tell two stories, really: the story of Christ, and our own. Michael is telling his story, and in doing so, he’s becoming a part of The Story. I hope he keeps telling us stories that matter for a long time. [...]

By: internetmonk.com » “Does The Story Matter” Revisited

internetmonk.com » “Does The Story Matter” Revisited — Mon, 28 Nov 2005 06:23:19 +0000

[...] “Does The Story Matter” Revisited Category: iMonk 101 Posted by Michael Spencer on November 28, 2005 2:23 am [...]

By: Cheryl

Cheryl — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

A beautiful explanation of why our stories do matter.

By: Zoomie

Zoomie — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Mike –

Wonderful and uplifting!

We forget too easily, I think, that God’s grace as shared in Scripture is first and formost a story. When we step back, view the magnificent drama that is God’s story of interaction with his creation, the light shines ever so much more brightly than an occasional microscopic examination. Many thousands of people around the world are coming to Christ through the story, the narrative of Christ – in oral fashion – they way it was for centuries.

Keep up the thoughtful input – not just here, but especially into those young and eager minds.

Zoomie

By: Ken

Ken — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

The commenter you quoted would be much happier with Wahabi Islam than with Christ. No stories, no background, no distractions, just SCRIPTURE! SCRIPTURE! SCRIPTURE! and being Holy Holy Holy.

As for your story of the bogdown in the cornfield, I’d just chalk it up to Stupid People Tricks — can’t you see that on a sitcom or America’s Dumbest Home Videos?

By: imonk

imonk — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

I just hope Faye Carlson doesn’t read my blog

(Not the real name….relax.)

By: Ol'Geezer

Ol'Geezer — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Ditto Cheryl and Zoomie

As to “Commenter”: What of the story and journey of Noah, of Abraham, of the Hebrews, of Moses, of David, of Elijah, of Elisha, of David, of Jesus, of John the Baptizer, of John the Apostle, of John Mark, of Peter, of Luke, of Paul of…? Has it escaped the notice of “Commenter” that God’s commands are wrapped in stories and journeys? Are there any of God’s commands that are not illustrated in the Bible by someone’s story and journey?

Nevertheless, contra Ken, it is still “just SCRIPTURE! SCRIPTURE! SCRIPTURE! and being Holy Holy Holy.” But not in spite of the story and journey, but because of the story and journey.

By: Joi

Joi — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

It reminds me of something my priest says a lot: “No compromise of Truth, no lack of Love.”

By: Heidi

Heidi — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

I think this illustration of grace is wonderful. On the note of grace, what about the grace for the commenter? What a poor person who has not experienced this grace for him(or her) self. Lets extend a little grace to them and say, sorry you are missing out on so much. Thanks for the willingness to put yourself out there. Hope you have found a better way of living because of it. Anyway, I think this story is great.