Sharing the Adventure

Thinking about stories, still:

Stories are not waiting to be molded to fit our experience.  They are waiting for us to take the risk of entering their world of the story and be changed by it.  (Peter Enns and Jared Byas)

I was moving through Facebook the other day - going down the rabbit hole - when I stumbled across a video of a sermon.  The sermon was based on the story (parable) we call the Prodigal Son.  The point the "pastor" was determined to make was that the story did not include the mother.  Where was she? Was she out getting her hair done? Why wasn't she home where she belong?

Grr.

Setting aside my disgust with this twist on a sermon, think for a moment about the story.  I wonder if the pastor had ever taken the risk of actually entering the story and allowing himself to be changed by it.  He certainly seems (to me) to be trying to mold the story to his own purposes.

If you are a preacher, this is a temptation. You have something you want to say, and you'll use the Bible to support your idea.  Instead, we are called to enter the story, and then share with those listening our adventure.