There is power in my story. I have had this thought on my mind for several weeks. My story is the story of my life. My story speaks to those who know me, especially my children. Now before any young person writes this off as a blog entry for dads just hang on!
In Genesis chapter four Cain kills Able. Cain is exiled and starts a city (culture) of his own. Then the Bible gives the list of his descendants down to eight generations, ending with a guy named Lamech. Lamech has two wives and confesses to them, "I have killed a man." In his confession he says, "If Cain is avenged seven times, then Lamech seventy-seven times." (Genesis 4:24)
The Bible says in the Old Testament that God is jealous and when men forsake him and worship other gods he would be, "punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me..." (Exodus 20:5) Some individuals have made a doctrine of curses out of this verse and say that some people, including Christians, are cursed because of their ancestors sins and will be sick, or sinful, because of the sins of the fathers (There is no Hebrew word for father, most occurrences of father in the O.T. are a translation of the Hebrew word best translated ancestor).
I don't think that Lamech was cursed with some mystical, invisible curse that made him commit murder. James 1:14 says, "each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed." We sin because we mess up, not because our fathers messed up.
Though we are personally responsible for our actions, our actions are influenced by other people. In the case of Lamech he was influenced by a story. The story of his ancestor, the father of his culture, Cain. Eight generations later they were still talking about Cain killing his brother Able. The story of Cain's mistake had marked his family, his city, his culture.
So, what's the point? There are two points.
First, consider what story you are writing today, this week, this year, for your children to read. How will you explain your story to them? What will it influence them to become?
Second, consider how God wants to make your story better. Exodus 20:5 says that God punishes three and four generations. But, Exodus 20:6 (the very next verse!!!) says God is, "showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments."
Do you want your kids to: be drug addicts, experience the pain of divorce, hate their siblings, lose jobs, go to prison, live under huge debt, be angry, bitter and unforgiving? Then write that story. Even if that is your story so far, start today and write something different. You don't have to hide the ugly truth of your story, you just need a better ending. Your story may have crisis and climax but you need resolution. If you want a different story, call out to Jesus Christ today! God will transform who you are, and what your going through when you work with him and you can begin to write a new story!
Want to tell your story? Want some writing tips? Leave a comment and let's write life together!
Striving to write well,
Paul
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