I attend the traditional service at church. This week, we sang the old song "I Love to Tell the Story." It is an excellent hymn about telling of Jesus and his love. It sparked my thinking of how giving someone the experience of the story is so much more impactful than telling a story.
As I journey down life's highway, stories play a vital role in shaping my understanding of the world. From the stories I learned as a child to the stories I hear and tell as an adult, the true magic and transformative power lie in experiencing or demonstrating them.
"I love to tell the story,” goes the old song, but the impact of a story multiplies when it moves beyond mere words and becomes an experience. When a story is demonstrated or experienced, it transcends the boundaries of imagination and becomes an unmistakable reality. Experiencing a story is not just retelling events but facing the world through different eyes and feeling emotions that might otherwise remain unexplored.
Consider telling the story of helping, caring, and doing kind things for others or giving them an experience. The children in our church go to places and feed the hungry, entertain the elderly, and perform kind and generous acts for others. By actively participating in the story, they better understand, feel, and live the challenges. This is where the story becomes a powerful tool for change. It's no longer a narrative; it's an experience that can alter perceptions, challenge beliefs, and inspire action.
Some people are very good at storytelling, which is an art form in and of itself. But the real power of storytelling comes out when we go beyond talking and do things like show and experience. Stories that are lived and felt can open minds, change hearts, and, in the end, change lives.
Today, my pride tells my story, and my humility demonstrates it. This can be a difficult battle for me.
How about you? Does your life tell the story of Jesus, or do you speak it?
Watch for the blind spots.
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