The Power of an Explaining Story
Charles Darwin said that anyone who wishes to make a sizable impact on human history can do so in 3 ways: a. political action b. create a creed, or c. attempt to change the genetic composition of the human species If both human history and the future can be determined by what we believe about ourselves– what DO we believe? Significant to many religious people in the world, Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, February 22. What does it mean to be dust and ashes? Genesis 3 states: “. . .cursed is the ground because of you; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life; 18 thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. 19 By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” Many believe returning to the soil is a curse, a punishment for sin. Did we get the story wrong? Have you ever had an experience in which you discovered that what you came to believe about yourself is not true? Or you decided you didn’t need to continue to live in a way that reinforced a negative belief about yourself? And if a story applies to all humanity, what if we got the story wrong? Is there another way to understand this “explaining” story?