READ: MATTHEW 7: 21-29
Anyone who listens to my teaching and obeys me is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. (V. 24)
Every community has a narrative associated with its history. This narrative consists of written and spoken accounts. These accounts document the community’s development and overarching values that define its existence. Understanding this narrative is an essential part of community-based policing. Once police administrators and officers gain an appreciation for a community’s history, values and goals, active steps can be taken to develop a cooperative public safety plan based upon mutual trust and respect. Good teachers seek to understand the life narrative of each of their students to enable them to achieve success in the classroom and in life. Successful mentors develop an insight into the life narratives of their mentees which lays the foundation for a successful personal relationship. In fact, in all walks of life, from personal relationships to professional advancement, understanding the narrative of people’s lives is an absolute requirement.
However, before we seek to understand the narratives of other lives, we must first have a complete insight into our own. In the process of unfolding our lives from birth to our current age, we recognize that we have been subject to many good and bad influences. These are an integral part of our unique history and have shaped our character, goals and values. Specifically, we need to identify the foundational narrative from which all the other aspects of our lives are derived. Much like the dreaded book reports of our school days, we need to identify the main theme governing our lives. For Christians, this crucial self-examination needs to directly involve Jesus and the Holy Spirit. The Spirit will help us truthfully review each chapter of our life narrative and give us keen insight into its content, purpose and direction. The Spirit will also help you decipher if you are building your foundational theme on the solid rock of Christ or on the ever-shifting sands of the pronouncements of this world. Knowing each of our narratives contains chapters and lines that we would like to forget, for we have all fallen short of God’s expectations, (Romans 3:9), we need to sincerely seek Jesus’ input before adding any more content to our history and stories. Neglecting to take this vital editorial step exposes us to continually pursuing self-centered and pride-based narratives that will quickly erode under the punishing winds and rain of daily living. Solid rock or shifting sand—the building foundational material is in your hands. Your narrative and your future depend upon this single choice!
PAUSE FOR REFLECTION AND PRAYER
In order to understand and help others, we must first follow the wisdom in the words of Christ and make sure our narratives are built upon nothing less than his blood and righteousness.
Dear Jesus, please be the editor of my narrative of life so that my story will reflect and reveal your glory.