WHAT STORIES DO YOU TELL?
23rd Dec 2015
Zechariah 10:9 in The Message says, “Even though I scattered them to the far corners of the earth....they’ll keep the story alive in their children, and they will come back.” I found this verse fascinating and thought, “What stories do you tell to your children?” or anyone else for that matter.
Joyce is a great story teller and loves to recount God’s miracle working power, His miraculous provision, or some other amazing way God has been at work in someone’s life. When our children were in their teens and not always very enthusiastic about being in our ‘holy’ household, Joyce would always keep telling these great stories, she didn’t ask anyone whether they wanted to hear them, she just told them!
So what stories do you tell in your home and among your family and friends? Are they great stories that affirm people, that tell of good things that happen to others? Or are they words of criticism, are they the terrible thing that happened when “Aunt Agatha” came for Christmas?
The Christmas Story is the greatest story ever told, and we should never tire of hearing the miraculous way Jesus came into this earth to transform our lives. Sadly the statistics tell us that there are more arguments, more family breakdowns and more angry outbursts at Christmas than at any other time of the year. These are the stories of hatred, fear, prejudice, resentment and bitterness which destroy rather than give life.
We are very thankful to God that the “stories worked”, all of our children have a living and personal faith. In Deuteronomy 6:6 says, “These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”
The great promise of Zechariah is “keep the story alive......and they will come back.”
So what stories will be told around you table this Christmastide, will they inspire faith, or….?
by Charles Sibthorpe
