We enter the third week of the Parables Loft series. Familiar territory I’ve heard in the alley; retelling Jesus’ stories again; maybe with a different twist, but still the same stories….let’s dig a little deeper.

A couple of years ago, Andy introduced a much smaller crowd to an edgy study (or it seemed so to many at the time). Some didn’t get it; some just shook their head while others embraced it…whatever your take if you were here, none of us left without an opinion of Donald Miller’s book Blue Like Jazz and the loft take on it.

Full confession—I’ve been a fan of Donald Miller and his writing even before BLJ. That’s saying something of a guy as old as dirt and not hip—at all. But here’s the deal…he tells stories (aka parables, if you will) in an imaginary eventful way and has always drawn me in to look for the point…you know…the WOW thought that I’ve gotta consider if I’m going deeper in commune with God and community with others. Also, digging a little deeper, Miller just doesn’t talk the talk; he does walk the walk.  Check him out to see the Jesus things he’s started and is part of—impressive.

So, if you can buy that Miller is a 21st century story teller (with a divine purpose), he states and restates a number of times in his new book, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, his readers to “not just tell the story (aka Parable), but (our Father) wants us to enter the story.” It’s clear from his writing, Miller has embraced the notion that we are to enter the truth of the parable…scared or not; willing or not; invested or not; alone or together; pushed & prodded or not…and with an understanding that trouble is around the corner—most likely. Ouch.

Huh…enter the story; embrace the story; put on the story; live the story….then and only then just maybe us lofters will have a new parable to tell.   After all, isn’t that what ‘go, tell & do people’ suppose to do and be?  Maybe this Parable stuff is the same old; same old anyway; but it sounds a little uncomfortable. Hey—write and let me know how you are entering the story and what God is doing in your life.

East-out.

You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.