I love telling stories.
I love listening to stories.
One of my favorite stories either comes from the Talmud or Ben Franklin, but the story’s so great to tell, listen to and now read…WHO CARES?
It’s a story about Abraham and Sarah. They invited an old man to join them for a meal and to stay for a night of rest. After the generosity shown, the man, appropriately thanked them for their warm hospitality. Abraham assured him, “You need not thank me. Whatever I have given you comes from the God of creation. Thank God.”
“Why would I bother to thank your God when I have my own?” the old man said reaching into his pack. He brought out a wooden idol and set it on the floor before them. “This is the god who I intend to thank for taking care of me.”
Abraham was livid. “How dare you worship a god made with hands,” he shouted. He seized the man and threw him out of the tent. “I am sorry I ever wasted my warm hospitality on you,” he yelled out at the man who was now quickly walking away.
Before the old man was even out of sight, though, Abraham heard a voice calling his name.
“Yes, Lord?” Abraham answered.
“For 80 years I have protected and cared for the old man you just threw out of your tent. All this time, though he has given credit to his wooden idol, I have continued to claim him as my own. Although he knows no better, Abraham, YOU DO! Now go, find this old man, and bring him back. You make him feel welcome. You are to serve even those who do not understand that there is but one God.”
And Abraham once again obeyed God.
I love telling stories.
I love hearing stories.
I love applying stories…
…or at least, I want to love applying them more to my day to day living.
“…He knows no better–YOU DO–serve even those who do not understand that there is but One God….”
Hmmmmmmm…maybe Compassionate Telling, Compassionate Listening, Compassionate Applying is what The Story is ever all about…Maybe….
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