There is always a story behind the story. Yours, mine, others, and of course the world story. I've often wondered what England's history books teach about the revolution and it's outcome. Maybe the reflections of the French on what the Roman occupancy was like. How about the real story behind some of America's mysteries? While working on my undergraduate degree I was required to take a class in California history. The instructor knew that almost all of us were there for a requirement rather than the deep interest in the subject. So, he taught the class from the perspective of all the scandals in California history. Wow! Now that was a class! The story behind the story is almost always more interesting. When someone minimizes their story I can almost bet there is a story behind the story that give more insight. When we are with people we have this fear of being known for that story. We don't want people to see our blemishes and to be able to use them as a power over us. Confession has become a lost art amongst Christians for that very reason. Where once we were safe with others, perhaps we now feel less than safe giving up our information. What would be your response to someone's dark deep secrets? Would you be okay with that information? Would you feel comfortable with other Christians having your information?
We hear about the baby Jesus lying in a manger and have all the hype that he was surrounded by wonder and things glistening. It smelled awful! There was manure everywhere! They didn't have anything so they wrapped the baby in old cloth. Oh yes, we have the drummer boy and the angels and the wise men and the shepherds all in their glory. But, they smelled the manure too. Yet, they didn't shrink away from the story behind the story. Why was that? I suggest that this was because they came to see Jesus no matter what the story. They came to engage the Son of God as an infant in a stable, in a manger, amongst dirty animals and a poor set of parents with a piece of cloth to their possession. They came to engage that first sign of grace from a loving God who would be the story behind the story so that your and mine would be okay in his presence. To many he was not looked upon kindly. Think of all those parents of boys who were murdered when they searched for Jesus. Did they know the story behind the story? Were they filled with awe of the Son of God? I doubt it. Having your child murdered is awful for anyone.
Sometimes our story behind the story is all about getting away with murder. Cain and Abel? David and Uriah? Steve and... Okay, I haven't murdered anyone physically. I've done so in my mind though. Maybe you have too? We have so many thoughts about things wrong. We lust after just about anything this world has to offer. We wish ill upon multitudes. We plot to get revenge. Many of us never act on these thoughts and impulses. I haven't. Yet, that's part of our story behind the story. We don't act on the story but it's none the less part of our story. In many ways we do the same as Christians but in reverse. We wish people well but don't feed, cloth or care for them. We think about those in less fortunate situations and wish them well bud don't go beyond that. We believe the Scripture but don't really want to be part of fulfilling the commands that Scripture asks us to obey. We get away with murder...or so we think. The Bible tells us that we will be held accountable for every thought we have, every thing we've done and everything we've not done. Ouch! The story behind the story.
The story behind the story is "Who are you when no one is looking?" I'm the greatest of sinners Paul told us. Rather than vying for that title we should be surrendering our story for His story. It's a very difficult task. Looking on ourselves in a way that Christ would should spur us on to living the life he wants us to live, being the representation that he wants us to be, and holding out hope to others as we have been given grace ourselves.
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