Have you thought about telling a story with your life?

The Jewish philosopher Martin Buber used to speak lovingly of his paralyzed grandfather. He tells of the grandfather speaking about his mentor’s Baal Shem. When Baal Shem prayed, he became so involved he would leap up and dance before God. As Buber’s grandfather told the story, he became more and more identified with Baal Shem until without thinking he rose from his wheelchair, and began dancing to show how his mentor had prayed. From that moment the grandfather was no longer paralyzed, but healed. Martin Buber then reflected, and exclaimed: “That’s the way to tell a story.”

Christians tell gospel stories with their lives. In fact, because the Holy Spirit lives within our hearts, we not only tell the gospel, but we become good news. We live the story of Jesus. When we see the needs of so many people, we no longer just tell the story of the little child who gave his bread and fish lunch so Jesus could feed that hungry crowd long ago. We become that child giving what we have so Jesus can feed physically and spiritually hungry people through us today.

When we see an enemy we are reminded that Jesus forgave his enemies, and as we allow the Word to spring to life in our lives, we forgive our own enemy. Suddenly, we are no longer telling a story about what Jesus did a couple thousand years ago, but are allowing Jesus to love through us right now.

Sunday I preached about how relationships are the only thing we can build that will last for eternity. Homes, careers, achievements will all crumble sooner or later. Everything will bite the dust. Only relationships will last, and the exciting thing is that relationships with other people and with God are life stories that will continue to develop and grow. Whenever I have lunch with a friend I usually learn something new about that person that allows our story to build. When I spend time with God -- especially in prayer or in Bible study -- I learn more and more about the special relationship God and I enjoy. The more our story together continues the better.

As Christians we have a wonderful story to tell, a wonderful story to live. Sometimes we freeze at the idea of sharing our faith with another person. The idea of “evangelizing” or talking about something personal like religion is paralyzing. It’s such a relief that Jesus just asks us to live our story. That’s enough, for if we are in relationship with God, then he indwells us. God lives within us and we become that story that is so much better that any script the world has to tell. We become the story of God’s love and grace flowing into the hearts and minds of people who are looking for something -- Someone -- more. Evangelizing isn’t convincing others of the correctness of our religious ideas or how great a church we attend (although First Baptist Arlington is a pretty special place). It’s just helping them meet Jesus and begin a personal relationship that makes the story of their own lives complete.

Some Christians find the story has bogged down or even stopped. If you are in that spot, take a hint from Buber’s grandfather as he so identified with the person whose story he was telling he found himself healed. Spend time rebuilding relationship with God and see what happens. One more thing I believe -- because of Jesus, there is a happy ending!