A Message for You

John Steinbeck was asked to write a novel during the second world war. He wrote of a peaceful land invaded by an evil regime. Printed on underground presses and secretly distributed throughout occupied countries, The Moon is Down sent the message that the allies were coming and by imitating the novel’s character, readers could help secure their freedom. 

The Importance of Storytelling

In a recent email to his subscribers, Thomas Umstattd, founder of Author Media said, “Storytellers help us endure difficult times. Tales of dragons remind us that dragons can be defeated. Tales of suffering remind us that pain can be endured. We all need those reminders when the nights are long, and enemies gather beyond the horizon.” He also said, “Tough times can lead to enduring works of literature. C.S. Lewis read one of his most famous books over the radio while bombs fell on London during WWII. The key is preparation.”

God, the original and ultimate Creator, is known as the Word. John 1:1-5 says, “In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.” NLT 

In his book Your God is Too Safe author Mark Buchanan quotes language scholar Paul Ricouer who said, “If you want to change a people’s obedience, you must change their imagination.” Buchanan then goes on to say, “Jesus’ primary way of reaching the lost was appealing to their imaginations-vivid, simple stories about life in the kingdom, the character of God, the nature of grace, forgiveness, joy, illustrated with object lessons.”

The Power of Storytelling

One example of the power of story in the Bible is found in 2 Samuel 12:1-15. Nathan the prophet confronted King David about his sins of adultery and murder by telling the king a story about a rich man who, though possessing his own fine flock, commandeered a poor man’s pet lamb to kill and prepare as a meal for the rich man’s guests. After hearing the story, King David repented and submitted himself to the Lord’s chastening.

Jeremiah 20: 7-11 tells us how the prophet Jeremiah wanted to keep silent due to suffering persecution from wicked Israelite rulers. Yet the Word of the Lord burned in his heart “like a fire” compelling him to speak out God’s warnings and rebukes to his rebellious people. 

Neither can we remain silent. God commands us to be voices for his truth, hope, and life despite the “cancel culture,” who wants to silence those inconvenient truths. Let’s be like Peter and John who stood before the corrupt religious Jewish leaders and declared, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:19-20 NIV). 

Jesus told us that opportunities for conveying life-changing truths and doing good don’t last forever. He said, “We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work” (John 9:4 NLT). 

The only hope for the world is Jesus and as his followers, we are his ambassadors, his messengers. Let us resolve to make our words count, to ask him for what is on His heart for us to write. Empowered and led by his Spirit, we must then write those words no matter what the prevailing political atmosphere or social correctness say. Let’s not let “cancel culture” stop us for such culture will one day be canceled forever by him who alone is the Way, the Truth and the Life and the Judge of all the earth.