A Story Not About Us

We all want our lives to tell a good story. We all want our story to be remembered. So we post pictures of ourselves on Facebook and Instagram in an effort to convince others (and maybe ourselves) that our story is worth watching. We post about our accomplishments, our adventures, the places we have seen and the things we have done. We post pictures of the mundane and we post pictures that make things look better than they are. We add comments that add drama to our pictures and we post pictures that add flair to our comments. We promote ourselves and we promote our story.

But almost always, in our self absorbed culture, the story is only about ourselves. It is my story, the story about me, that I want to be significant. I want me to be significant. So we promote and embellish our story in hopes that it will be good enough that others will pay attention, enough attention so that we will not be forgotten. And in case you might forget I will do it all again tomorrow.

But there is a better story. It is a story that includes us, but is not about us. We are included in the story, but we are not the story. It is a story about transformation, our transformation. But within the story of us, the attention is drawn to one greater than us. It is a story filled with drama that needs no embellishment. It is a story that involves us, and is better with us, but it does not need us.

In the end, our story should not be one that reflects our self absorption, but rather it should show the beauty of devotion to Christ. It should be our goal that when others see our story, they see beyond us and see Jesus Christ. They should see qualities that inspire them to be, not like us, but like Christ. Our story should be a story of redemption that compels others to respond to the Redeemer.

Too often the story I try to tell is all about me. I want others to know of my accomplishments, my determination, my sacrifice, my intelligence, my talents and, ironically, even my humility. I want others to take notice of me, instead of the one who holds my life in his hands; the one who has made every breath I take possible. I want my life to tell a good story, but more and more I am coming to understand that it should be a story about God’s grace and mercy, about the way He transforms people, of which I am only one of many. Although I show it far too seldom I really want my story to bring glory to God and encourage others to bring glory to Him as well. I want to have a heart that doesn’t care if my name is forgotten as long as the incredible gift that God has given each of us is remembered, and in the end I can hear, “well done, good and faithful servant.”

It is all well and good to hope that our lives tell a good story, but only if our story brings glory to our Creator and our Savior. Our lives can tell a good story without the story being about us.