We here are blessed to tell stories of Christ and culture, given space both to wrestle hard and to weave soft. We tell the small stories so we might better know the Grand Story, and we sit in a virtual circle beside this space’s dear readers, shoulder to shoulder but for computer screens and miles, a community built on words and the Word.
But we remember that the Word became flesh.
And this Word-become-flesh brought light to our dark world, not in virtual community but in dwelling among us. And so if we are gifted to use our words in this space of Christ and culture, it cannot be because we were meant to leave them at only words.
Our words must become flesh.
And the One who was gracious to speak life into form knows this and wants this and works this into being. And, having glimpsed how small the world is in God’s hands, I cannot help but tell the story:
One of our own storytellers wrote, and one of our own readers felt it. And she did not just take in the words but she took the chance and laid out her heart in this beautiful, online community. But the storyteller was more than her words, so she used them as hands, reaching out to the rest of us writers.
The reader was long-hurt and had no church to call family, wandering wounded, alone. But I knew her name because she often came to my own space, to laugh and to cry at my stories. And I knew that she lived in the same town as me. So I knew God meant me to do something.
I emailed words about meeting at church, and I sent out my heart, hopeful, cautious. She didn’t reply, but I spoke to my small group, and I call them my inner sanctum. And the one who thinks she’s more books than people, but is obviously sometimes wrong, knew that church might be too much for the moment. So at her suggestion I emailed again and invited a virtual stranger into the sanctum.
And the Word-become-flesh knew it was the refuge she needed. So on a Thursday night amid dinner and children and chaos she sat in our circle beside me, shoulder to shoulder.
And our words become flesh by the Word-become-flesh. And we live stories of Christ and culture.
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Where have you had opportunity to make words into flesh, to live out the stories?
{ 32 comments… read them below or add one }
There is a gal in my organization that comes from a dysfunctional family and had been asked to leave China a few years ago by another organization. Very hurtful — but necessary. She joined us about two years ago with many, many fears. Understandable! and still more baggage than she wanted. A year ago I had to tell her she couldn’t go to language school because there were still things she needed to learn being on a team BUT that if she’d work on them (not perfect them), in a year she could go. Another gal and I have walked with her as she has done the hard and messy work of change. It’s been mixed with fear. Lots of fear. But also so much change in so many small ways — in real flesh ways. Two weeks ago she came to me and said that she was finally beginning to get grace. After years of law, she was finding grace. I don’t want to over simplify the past year for her or for me. It has not been easy. But words have been brought to life and moved beyond mere sound.
Thank you for walking with her through the hard stuff. That’s Christ’s feet.
Your words are challenging, and not just because they call us to some better social good, or because they ask us to “do right,” but because you lay a foundation on Christ. This was an unashamed, bold, beautifully written, wonderfully orthodox (gasp), and refreshing piece. I mean it. I reckon I need to think through some of my most recent writings. Thank you.
Thanks, Seth. I replayed your words of encouragement in my head today when the nasty self-critic demanded to know whether what I’d done here was any good.
I am academic at heart. My youth ministry has always reflected that aspect of me. In the last six months, though, we have had some great breakthrough that has given me the opportunity to be much more like Jesus–less academic and more caring. Sitting next to youth as they share their deepest stories of hurt and fear. Listening is the most spiritual thing I do.
His ears. Wonderful.
I think academia can have the same danger as writing does to make it all to easy to not actually DO and BE.
Beautiful, beautiful. This is a challenge we must all heed. At some point our words must become action. We can talk about what God would want us to do for hours but it matters not if we never follow through. And if we never follow through, what is the point of all the words and talking?
Time to consider where the rubber meets the road in my own life. Thank you for stirring my heart today, Tamara.
Yes, there is no point. Just clanging gongs. So glad your lovely heart is stirred.
So simple, yet so powerful. I will soak in your words today…
I’m grateful.
I wrote a piece inspired by my son, called “Slow to Obey.” I wondered aloud if God felt the same frustrations with us as I sometimes feel with him. When I have to ask multiple times, or offer rewards, or give consequences for him to follow through on simple tasks, knowing it would not have to be that way. Knowing that if he just followed instructions quickly, he would have more time to play. It’s frustrating, because I know the blessings waiting on the other side if he just obeyed. (http://everydayawe.com/2011/10/14/slow-to-obey/)
Then I realized that I had been “slow to obey” in my own life. I had never been baptized as an adult- putting off for a variety of “good” reasons, something that God had placed on my heart to do. So came another post “You mean, that was meant for me?” and the next Sunday, my own baptism. (http://everydayawe.com/2011/11/02/you-mean-that-was-meant-for-me/)
My words to others were God’s words to me, and became flesh in my own life. And I am blessed that they did.
Thanks for the reminder that I should still be looking for opportunities to make my words more than words- in my own life, and in the lives of others.
I think that when writing comes so easily, it’s easy to allow it to be the end rather than the means. I’m glad God showed you how to turn your words into flesh.
Couple instances I can think of, one where I really just watched it happen, the other I was involved.
My wife teaches and kids attend a local Christian high school, and the drama group recently did Godspell (which was awesome, by the way.) I had the priviledge of playing guitar for the production, so I was invited to the post-show cast party last weekend. Near the end of the evening, there was a time of worship and as it was ending, all of a sudden a couple kids started pouring out their hearts about difficult things they were going through. The picture at the top of this post reminds me of what happened: everyone gathered round, supported, prayed, hugged…. the ensuing unplanned prayer time literally went on for nearly an hour. Definitely an example of the Word made flesh…..
The other story, I’m a little reluctant to share (sort of a ‘don’t let the left hand know what the right is doing’ thing), but think it would be good to encourage others. Early last fall, our church was involved with planting a new Spanish speaking church in town. We asked a friend in our small group how their first Sunday went and found out that they didn’t have any musicians — they worshipped by singing along with CD’s. I was shocked and ended up volunteering to help out. Four months later, I’m helping lead worship in Spanish even though I don’t really speak it (had some Spanish in HS over 30 years ago) – I figured that my guitar is bilingual enough for both of us!
The lesson learned for me… if you see a need, meet the need. None of us can do everything, obviously. But I’ve found that if we’re noticing a need, it is because God wants to do something about it, and most likely we’re supposed to help in some manner, either by meeting the need ourselves or helping facilitate someone else to meet it. I’ve been totally blessed through helping out with this church plant… it’s humbling when you tell God “ok, I can help with that” and then see Him bless people through your small gift.
Such great examples. I don’t think sharing any of these is bragging– this is a place to encourage each other in our walk. Thanks for being a friend on the journey.
Thanks… and thank you for being a friend on the journey as well! Another great post, by the way (forgot to mention that in my first comment.)
Joy, joy, joy!
Amen.
i just love hearing about how God is working, and am so thankful for those like you, Tamara, who follow the Spirit’s lead…
I do it infrequently and failingly.
But He’s so *here,* He’s so *flesh,* that I just had to write about it so you all could be encouraged and challenged and overjoyed along with me.
As a generally introverted soul, I’m challenged by your words. Sure, I can spill my words onto the page–bleed my heart out, if you will–but actually stepping off that page into the messiness of life is scary, is intimidating. But everytime I have, I’ve been blessed beyond words.
Thank-you for this clarion call here today.
I’m glad it challenges you a little. And for the record, my friend who somehow knew that the small-group invitation was needed is an introvert too– so there are ways to be the Body without trying to be someone you’re not.
I love seeing you shoulder-to-shoulder with someone who could have remained a stranger, but because of honesty, vulnerability, love, she didn’t. And neither of you is the same. Thank you for this, Tamara.
It’s amazing to see what God will do when we say “yes.”
“Word became flesh . . .”
I get it. It’s convicting. Sobering. Knowing that a word — story, even — sometimes begs to fill a skin suit . . . to take shape . . . to walk among the living.
Call it fear — or whatever seems appropriate — but sometimes I worry or am embarrassed of my words, or even His words, taking shape . . . that the shape will have two right feet or walk into a wall or just be a letdown.
Thank you for the challenging post.
I have fear too. But our God’s the kind who can take our walking into walls and use it for such good.
Oh, my, Tamara. The word(s) become flesh, indeed. YES. Thank you.
So amazing to catch sight of. Makes me want to look for more ways to move from words to flesh.
stunning. well written. better lived. keep on.
Thanks, Brett. Much easier to write it than to live it. Grateful for the encouragement.
This was beautiful. (I tried to comment yesterday on the new Kindle my husband got me, but I’m so slow at texting with it that I ran out of patience before I could manage three words.)
I’ve been thinking a lot about all this blogging and twittering and facebooking and social media –the way we are linked by words, photos, electronic pulses, digital imprints. I think there’s something very cool about all of it, but we serve a God of incarnation, who came to where we are. It’s not always possible in our online relationships, but when it is, how wonderful.
When we risk taking the ethereal, the pretty words, and marrying them to messy imperfect people, to real hands and nervous habits and voices…this is incarnational love.
Three years ago a missionary kid from Paraguay in the 90′s found and began to read our family blog. Her family’s time here was cut short from injury and illness. Theirs was a tough season among the “real” missionaries, they weren’t accepted by their own team. This, now young woman, left Paraguay when she was barely 11. She longed to revisit this magical time and reacquaint herself with the country that won her childhood heart. Reading our blog led to commenting. Commenting led to email. And email culminated in a one month visit from a stranger to our eyes but a friend to our hearts this January.
So cool to finally get to meet this fantastic person face to face. God did some mending to this soul during that time and we ended our time with not just a friend but essentially a family member. He is good to us.
Beautiful, Tamara! So easy to stay in our “comfort zone”; such a vulnerable and scary feeling to step out of it; so encouraging to know that the One who pushes us to do that has our back.