This morning, perusing the news and other notable happenings around the world, I happened upon a tragic story. It matters little what this story was all about. There’s a new one every day. The news is good at digging up a tragedy. On a planet with 8 billion lives, you’ll find a few.
I thought about what made this situation so tragic. Who decided to go this path so this madness would happen? Reporters ask this kind of question all the time. What made this situation go “off the rails?”
We want the story behind the headlines.
That’s the back story of a timeline, true, but the true back story is the history that brings about this moment.
Anyone can make snap decisions that go awry.
You. Me. Them. They. Us. And, We.
It happens all the time.
But what is our story that makes this moment a tragedy?
I want to say that is your main story.
Back Story
You can travel to any person’s tragic moment, backtrack their story, and find all the twists and turns that brought them to the moment. Their actions may be tragic, and we want to focus on the real-time event. But the bigger story is their back story, which is the main story!
The Apostle Paul reaches his tragic moment of standing by when Stephen is stoned, and he begins his pathway of persecution. But his back story was one raised and taught according to the doctrine and traditions of his people. He came by his life naturally, but his historical makeup put him on center stage.
The brothers of Joseph sell him into slavery and fool their dad into thinking a wild beast must have claimed his life. Thus begins their story built on lies, and his story is built on God’s plan for making their future secure. None of the other brothers could have been in Joseph’s shoes. It had to be him!
The sons of Jesse march before the prophet for the new king that will replace Saul. “Surely this one…,” says Saul. Don’t look at the outward person. God sees the heart! Surely there’s another son? God demanded I come here as this is where I would find the new king. Well, there is one more son. He’s in the field, shepherding the family flock. In marches David, the man becomes known as “…the one after God’s own heart.”
Our back story is full of positives and negatives. It’s how we let our choices choose a path that defines how we march to our destination – good or bad. Your choices at every juncture tell the story of your walk forward.
This Morning
Recently, I asked an uncle about the old cars I remembered him owning. My favorite was an old ’39 or ’40 (or so) Ford Truck. My love of old cars defines me, so I’m sure he would be on the same bandwagon since that’s what he grew up with. Nope! He was an aircraft mechanic in the Korean War and must have fallen in love with big, powerful, and smooth-riding rides. He loved his Lincoln Continental from the mid-80’s the most.
You may never know the back story unless you begin a conversation.
That’s why I’m quick to ask people where they come from initially! It tells a lot of their story! I spent a long cab ride learning about the cabbie from South Africa. I’ve wanted to go there for years! My time was well spent getting him to talk about his life growing up in the land James Michener wrote about in “The Covenant.”
You may never meet the person again, but your experience is broadened when you connect with others.
While working in Manhatten one morning (circa 1990), I found myself in the train station under the World Trade Center Tower. Sitting with a muffin and coffee, I watched the scurrying ants come out of the ground as each subsequent train unloaded its cars. It was like poking an ant bed with a stick!
It was a few years later I worked with and made friends with Mickey Smith. He might have been one of those that morning because he caught a train at about 4:30 a.m. for his daily commute to the island! Mickey became a lifelong friend, and I was able to be with him during his last few days on this earth.
Sometimes your later experiences will connect the dots of what you experienced in your past.
Take a Moment
Before you find angst from your present, think about your life that brought you to this present moment. Your story is more than your current circumstances.
Have you had a good life? Let that be your flavor of power for the moment that may seem negative right now.
A scripture from yesterday paints this story in a different light.
Keep your heart with all diligence,
For out of it spring the issues of life.
(Proverbs 4:23 NKJV)