The Value in the Story

One week ago a dear friend and his beautiful wife gave birth to their third child but after a series of tragic events and complications, my friend’s wife passed away last Sunday. I was leaving an event with my wife when I was notified of the news and it dealt a blow I’ve not felt in some time. The most difficult dynamic to stomach for me was the movement from elation to despair if the latter is even an accurate term to describe my friend’s series of emotions.

It hasn’t fully set-in if ever it will but it has led me to revisit both the biblical account of Job specifically and the overall value of a story and its truth to humanity. So often when I write these posts the perceptions of others course through my mind and try as I might I’m positive the that these thoughts affect and maybe even temper the message. In other words, if I think people won’t be comfortable with my vernacular I tend to shy away or over analyze what I’ve written. Why is this relevant to my friend’s story of losing is dear wife?

Because this is a post I don’t want to be superficial. It’s relevant because He and his family’s story has been one of the greatest testaments to the power of faith in Jesus Christ that I’ve ever seen. I could almost see, in my own mind’s eye, my buddy’s trembling fingers mustering strength to update his Facebook status and keep all of us aware of his wife’s condition. As the the events accelerated I was reminded of the story of Job, an ancient Near Eastern biblical book of wisdom in which an extremely devout man is requested by Satan to be afflicted. A conversation ensues between Satan and God after which Satan is allowed to conditionally attack Job by stripping him of wealth, health and family. Job is blindsided by the cataclysm. But he doesn’t curse God which is clearly the objective of Satan.

In Christianity, despite thousands of denominational/theological differences, there is generally a common belief that God is full of mercy and grace to be distributed based on need. I’ve read Job more times than I remember and as he was restored I have seen my friend and his three kids moving in a strength that is unparalleled and due wholly to the mercy of God. I value the Job account more now than ever because as God was faithful in the biblical book, I see him doing exactly the same thing for my friend. There is value in the story in more ways than can be recounted. I like to avoid pain and suffering but life’s realities force us to both confront it and submit ourselves to God for the sake of survival. More and more I appreciate the stories that anchor my faith because if I pay attention I can see their value played out in my reality and that of others close to me. It is the hope of the story that convinced me not to join gangs or quit basketball all those years ago. And it is still The Story that strengthens my weak knees and makes straight paths for my feet. My friend, his wife and their kids are all my inspiration because they are and were people who valued the stories that undergird my faith. They have become one of those stories and I challenge anyone to say otherwise.