Learning to Let Go

A stereotype of the Irish is that we are storytellers, lovers of the art of spinning a tale, one stereotype that I fit effortlessly into. I love telling and hearing stories, I learn through the experience of others, from reading biographies or truth wrapped in a beautifully constructed allegory.

This is my learning style, so when time comes for me to teach, it’s my natural leaning. I will often tie my teaching up in stories of personal experience, examples I’ve heard or metaphor. It’s one of the skills I think God has given me in my tool-kit, the ability to relate a truth through a story, but as is so easy to happen, our greatest strengths can easily transform into our greatest weaknesses. 

When reading over a talk I was due to give a few months ago, the minister of my church had circled a few of my stories in the text, and asked whether they should be there? A little affronted, I initially rebelled against this suggestion, these were stories I had felt fit, stories that told the congregation a bit about me, made them laugh and hopefully translated a  kernel of the truth. But the question he asked was “Does this illustration serve the text?”

That question caused me to take a closer look, and ultimately a red pen to the outline I had in place, sections were purged, stories removed and the message was ultimately leagues ahead of where it was in simplicity and understanding for the young people because of what was lost. 

I include stories for a myriad of reasons; as examples, for laughter, to tell something about me, to personalise the message, but how often do I ask that question “Is this story really serving the Gospel?” 

It’s a hard thing to let go of a story I enjoy telling, that is fun, that I know will prick the ears of listeners, but necessary to ask this question: Who is this story pointing to? Is it pointing to the storyteller, or the one that the storyteller is meant to be talking about? 

If it’s just pointing to me, it’s time to get the red pen out and start slashing. 

The point of speaking, of stories as we use that medium, is to point to Jesus, and we should use this gift often. It’s a craft Jesus honed and used liberally in His ministry, but you can believe every time he opened his mouth to tell a story it wasn’t with self-serving intentions, but to point to the great message of God’s love and goodness.