The Story Behind the Picture

They say a picture is worth a thousand words.

But what they don't tell you is, which words?

Like this picture I posted. It looks like a pretty sunrise, right? And it is. If I put the caption 'Life is good' underneath it, you'd probably think I was already having a great day, and the sunrise was just icing on my "perfect morning" cake.

What the picture can't tell you is that I was next door to a horse farm, and in case you didn't know, horses poop outside. And the wind sometimes changes. You can fill in the rest.

And my feet were wet because I was wearing flip-flops, and had stepped in a puddle, and there were even worms guts on the pinkie toe of my left foot. Ew.

It also doesn't tell you that the dishes were piled up in the sink because I didn't feel like washing them the night before, or that my person was kind of a mess all around because I needed a shower.

See, in order to get the whole story, a picture needs a caption at the least. But usually we need someone to tell us what was going on at the moment the image was captured. We can make up anything we want, but how often are we right?

It's been my experience that humans are story creatures. We want to know things about each other. We are drawn to telling and listening to stories.

And every life is a story worth telling.

Remember the shows "Everybody Has a Story", and then "On the Road" with Steve Hartman? (If not you should google them. So many heartwarming moments!) I loved those shows. I loved the glimpses into the lives of strangers I would never meet. I loved that any random little town in any place in the US had people with compelling stories that I otherwise would have never heard.

We recently had our last Monday night ladies life group meeting, and we finished up our study on unity. And this got me to thinking about ways we can build unity within the Body of Christ.

One way to build our love for one another (and thereby increase unity) is to get to know each others' stories. It's so much easier to assume things about people. To think they haven't suffered anything, or that they couldn't possibly understand what I've been through, because their life looks perfect, or they come from a "good family".

Have you ever thought you had someone figured out, and then you had the opportunity to REALLY talk to them and hear their story? And your mind was blown by what you learned about them and how God has worked in their life? Isn't it cool how you feel infinitely closer to that person because you can relate to them in some way that you couldn't before?

We are called to love one another the way Christ loves us. His love doesn't look at the clock when someone else is talking. It doesn't look at the phone, either. Or make a mental grocery list, or formulate a response, or do anything else but listen and love.

His love is selfless, and different from loving your neighbor the way you love yourself. That's why He said it was a new commandment when He told the disciples to do it.

I think American culture today encourages us to hurry up and hurry along, and do all. the. things. But what we really need to do is slow down, come together, and get to know these other people made in the image of Christ. Listen to the stories of the people in life group, or small group, or church, so we can be blown away at the goodness of God at work!

A great way to build unity is to seek it out by getting to know, and love, those around us so we can pray for one another, and bear each others' burdens. This fulfills the law of Christ, and others will know we are His disciples. Unity doesn't 'just happen'. We have to be intentional about it.

Don't assume from what you can see in the 'picture' of someone's life, that you have them all figured out. Take the time to hear the stories God is writing for others. You will find yourself encouraged, and your perspective challenged. I want to be known by my love, and listening is a good first step.

Psalm 133:1-3
(1) A Song of degrees of David. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
(2) It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments;
(3) As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.

John 13:34-35
(34) A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
(35) By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Galatians 6:2
Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

James 5:16
Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.