The Original StorytellerSample

CREATED TO CREATE

BIG IDEA: Storytelling is part of our DNA because we were modeled after the Original Storyteller—God.

Homer’s Odyssey is one of the greatest epic poems ever told. It’s the story of the Greek hero Odysseus and his ten-year journey home after winning the Trojan War. 

First told in the eighth century, Odysseus’ challenging quest has greatly influenced Western storytelling.In the poem’s first lines, Homer calls to the mythological muses to sing Odysseus’ story through him. The legendary blind bard did not take credit for the epic tale. Rather, he attributes the story to a higher power.

Sing in me, Muse, and through me tell the story of that man skilled in all ways of contending, the wanderer, harried for years on end, after he plundered the stronghold on the proud height of Troy.

The ancient Greeks believed that the Muses would descend upon mortals to aid in the creation of art. This is one of the earliest examples of divine inspiration. The concept of stories being influenced by a higher power is as old as storytelling itself.

These days, we have our own type of divine inspiration. But, ours comes from a different source—God, who is the Ultimate Storyteller. Although written by human hands, the Bible itself was shaped by God through man.

The Bible tells of God’s creation, which is one big story. His desire to create and tell stories resides within each of us because He modeled us in His own image. Each of us has a desire to create because God first created us. We were created to create—for from creation comes creativity.

This drive to create is one of the reasons stories play such a powerful role in our lives. We are compelled by our God-designed fabric to tell and hear stories. These narratives are expressed through the written and spoken word, acted on stage, sung in music and shaped into pieces of art.

There are hundreds of different forms of storytelling. Each of us tells stories in our own unique way. There is something about a good story that resonates with us to our very core. A good story helps us recognize truths about ourselves and the world around us.

When God formed the earth, He filled it with the vital elements of any good story. These narratives have been playing out since the beginning of time. Many of the best stories are captured in the Bible. They get to the heart of what life is all about. These universal truths are why the Bible is still relevant after thousands of years.

When Jesus walked the earth, He often spoke in parables. These were earthly stories used to illustrate a heavenly message. Jesus knew that teaching in the form of a story would help people to better comprehend them.

These stories resonated with Christ’s audience at the time because they were relevant. We can relate to their meaning even today. By using parables, Jesus embodied God’s commitment to storytelling.

Stories are one of the ways we can see God at work in our world. Evidence of His creation is all around us. Our love of stories was placed in our hearts by our Heavenly Father. As each of us is a part of God’s creation, we also play a role in His never-ending story.

PRAYER

God, thank You for making us in Your own image. Thank You for giving us the ability to create and appreciate stories of our own. We are driven by the same desire for story that You instilled within us from the beginning of time.

Help us use this storytelling instinct to discover truths about ourselves and

about you. Help us to listen to the stories of others and understand that all stories originate with You. Amen. 

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