What's The Story?

I heard an interesting news clip on CNN this morning while driving to work. It seems that a newspaper photographer took the “required photo” of a homeless man sitting on a grate trying to keep warm in Washington, DC over the weekend. The photo was picked up by the AP and printed in newspapers all over the country, including one in New York. The homeless man’s mother saw the picture and thought she recognized her son, with whom contact had been lost when he left on New Year’s Day without his wallet, cellphone, and everything else you would take if you were leaving.

His parents saw the picture the AP photographer had taken in Sunday’s USA Today. They contacted the newspaper who in turn contacted the photographer, Jacquelyn Martin. With the help of the Washington police department, their son was found, taken to a hospital, and ultimately reunited with his parents. Martin, the AP photographer, said that the episode reminded her “that every person they encounter has a story to tell.” (www.ap.org)

I have no idea whether or not Jacquelyn Martin is a disciple of Christ, but she certainly was expressing an important theological concept when she said “every person they encounter has a story to tell.” In fact, the Christian journey might well be summarized as “the story we are telling God” as we live out our lives.

Some people in our world pretend as though there is no story, and operate on the idea that you are born, you live, and you die. That’s pretty much all there is to life. Others like to pretend that there is a story, and that they are in charge of the plot line. The whole focus is on self – perhaps explaining the rash of “selfies” over the past year. That word was officially added to the dictionary recently and there was even a little press conversation about President Obama taking a “selfie” at Nelson Mandella’s memorial service.  The other option is to recognize that when it comes to story writing, no one does it better than God! There’s an old rabbinic saying that says “God made people because He loves stories.” 

That AP photographer was telling the truth – there is a story behind every person. Unfortunately not everyone knows that when it comes to stories, God has the market on writing the best ones. Equally unfortunate is the fact that sometimes we who follow Jesus don’t stop and think about the back story of a person’s life. Quick to condemn the drug addict or drunkard, the guy who steals from his company’s account, or the lady who just had an abortion – we don’t take time to ask “how did you get to that point?”

When I think about my own story, I’m struck by just how many times God has helped adjust the plot line. He began that “adjustment” with the great parents to whom I was born, continued it all along the way until the very present. A part of that is due the fact that I am willing to let God be an influence in my life, but a part of it also includes the providential placement of people in my life at crucial times.

But what I need to always remember is that the “right decision” I made that seemed to be easy and reasonable, my not be that easy and reasonable to someone who hasn’t had my opportunities. I’m never tempted to shoplift a loaf of bread, but then I’ve never had to wonder how I would feed my family. Circumstances aren’t excuses for bad behavior, but understanding them is essential if I want to influence others for Christ. 

What if, at the beginning of a brand new year filled with opportunity, I take what the AP photographer said to heart – understanding that every person I see has a story to tell? And beyond that, what if I decided to listen to those stories before making judgments?

I have no idea why that young man left his parents on New Year’s Day and they had no idea of where he was or what had happened to him. No doubt there is a story to tell. I hope his parents listen! More than that, I hope that in the mix of all of this, there will be some disciple of Jesus who gets an opportunity to make a difference, eternally speaking.