There seem always to be two sides to every story. Someone added there are actually three. My side; their side; and the truth. Probably in the long stretch, I would go with the third option. Time has a way of changing ‘the facts.’
When we were very young, we all created memories of things which occurred in our families, neighborhoods, churches, and schools. As time has passed, it has become a bit of a game to compare our memories with other members of our family, church, school, or neighborhood.
It is sometimes fascinating how different the memory of a single event can be! In one of the games we played when younger, our leaders tried to teach us that lesson by creating a circle and starting the first person with a simple story or sentence. By the time the last person repeats the story or sentence to the group, it was often almost unrecognizable!
That would be funny if it were limited to small games. Sadly, it is recreated in far more important surroundings. People repeat stories incorrectly or with additionally created information to ‘spice up’ the story to make it more interesting; or, they add something knowing it will do damage to the subject of the story.
If this has ever happened to you, the hardness of this is not lost on you. If you have ever repeated one of these ‘stories ,…. well, you can end that sentence yourself!
Telling the Bible story, this very thing occurred in the very early stories of the garden, when Eve added a ‘spice it up’ kind of explanation to respond to the Serpent’s advances. Simply put, she did not tell the truth about what God said.
In a community as large or as small as Bells, stories circulate quickly. They last a long time. They do incalculable harm. May God burden our hearts to be careful with what we listen to and what we repeat.
The Kingdom should be helped by its citizens, not harmed.
Happy to Minister alongside you!
Brother Wayne
